A Sitch in Jump City
by Texan Red Rose
Summary: During a "Welcome Back" party, Kim, Shego, Drakken and Ron are transported to Jump City, home to the Teen Titans. As they search for a way back to Middleton, the new Team Possible join the Titans' fight, but who brought them here? And why? Kigo
1. Chapter 1

Edit: Forgot the Disclaimer.

**Disclaimer** I don't own, in any way shape or form, Kim Possible or the Teen Titans. Other people own them and make that big money.

Chapter 1: A Big Surprise (or And Some Things Do)

"I guess some things never change," Kim mumbled to herself, eyeing the so-called 'food establishment' with a slightly dubious expression. For years, Bueno Nacho had been _the_ place to hang out, to meet, to do just about anything. Even the invasion, and subsequent destruction, hadn't managed to distort her memory of the place; the managers had the building rebuilt exactly as it had always looked. It should have comforted her, right? Considering her house was destroyed that same night, not to mention her high school, both of which look nothing like their old selves. To have _something_ still the same should help to ease her tense nerves, shouldn't it? But no, Kim Possible, the former teenage cheerleading superhero was not comforted by the sight before her. By sheer willpower, the young woman managed to open her car door and step out into the chilly December air, barely registered through the thick jacket she wore. Scarf, gloves, half high boots made with imitation fur: Kim had dressed warmly considering the cold temperatures but there was still a slight chill in her. She couldn't help the wry smile as her emerald eyes fell on a scooter that had definitely seen better days. Some things never changed indeed.

However, the smile quickly disappeared. He was already here, waiting for her. She'd hoped to arrive first, to get a few minutes to prepare herself for what would undoubtedly transpire. Oh well; she'd saved the world on less notice than this. And she could always outrun him, if it came down to it.

_Yes, because running away is the mature response. It's Ron Stoppable, Ron, my best friend for years! So what we broke up, no big, we're mature adults now! _The words seemed to rebound inside her head, doing nothing to calm her nerves. With a deep breath, Kim opened the door and stepped through, focused and determined. The interior of Bueno Nacho was notably warmer than outside though the redhead's mind was unable to register the information. She was already taking note of how he was sitting, his uniform (he was on lunch break from Smarty Mart, after all) and his constant companion, already halfway through his owner's plate of whatever the newest culinary concoction the management managed to pass as edible food.

Once upon a time, Ron Stoppable and Kim Possible were a crime fighting team renowned the world over, not to mention the best of friends since pre-kindergarten. Okay, it would be unfair to call them a nearly unstoppable duo, as Rufus, Ron's naked mole rat, had done more than his fair share of work saving the world with them, not to mention their techno savy friend, the young Wade Load. They made a fantastic team, overcoming impossible odds while keeping the world safe from supervillains (and aliens, though that was much rarer). Kim couldn't hide the smile as she thought of those "glory days" with such fondness.

Sometimes, she caught herself holding her trusted Kimmunicator, just wishing it would go off, that the world might need her to save them just one more time. But Wade never called. She knew why, too. College was important and would require her full attention, so she had done the logical thing and closed down her website. It never occurred to her that _all_ the calls would stop. It seemed like the supervillian community just forgot all about her, or found someone else to annoy. Maybe she'd wished for such a thing before, when it seemed missions always managed to either ruin or complicate her personal and social life (not that either one existed, really) but now, she just felt so… bored all the time. Like something crucial was missing.

"Hey KP! Over here!" Kim had to blink as Ron called out across the small lobby. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she crossed the short distance to sit opposite him. No matter what, they'd never sat at any other booth in the small restaurant, despite having frequented the establishment for years. Always the same booth. Always the same Ron.

But she was being extremely unfair and she knew it. Kim wasn't mad at Ron, per say. She just wasn't exactly sure how this was going to play out. And _that_ was why she was a little on edge. She'd rarely dated growing up, what with all the missions and explosions, the crazy villains and twisted plots; there just wasn't a whole lot of room for emotional strain too. Therefore, she logically had no clue _how_ a lunch "date" with her ex-boyfriend was supposed to go.

Two months ago, she'd dropped the bomb on him. She hated that she'd had to dump him, especially over the phone after he'd just gotten off work, but there was no way around it. She'd explained it as logically as she could- there just wasn't enough time for them to talk, they both could do without the added stress, it wasn't fair to either of them with the considerable distance, it was getting hard for her to concentrate on her studies- all reason she could justify in her head. Unfortunately, that was the only place she could find it in her to justify the words she'd said.

Her heart was a different matter altogether. That was an organ she could never understand, no matter how many biology and anatomy lessons she signed up for, Kim could never figure out why she just didn't care for Ron like she once did. Some part of her knew he was just her rebound after finding out Erik was a synthodrone; someone who cared and could numb the pain from losing someone, or rather something, she'd become emotionally attached to rather quickly. Looking back, she didn't know how he couldn't see that she was just using him to mask her pain. She could never voice these thoughts though. That wasn't something she could bear to tell him: that she had broken up with him because she just didn't love him, and probably never did. Especially after all they'd been through. But maybe that just made her a worse person, to lead him on, letting him think that maybe there could still be something there when, in all honesty, she knew there wasn't. When did being the "good girl" get so… gray?

"Hello! Earth to Kim!" Ron's voice snapped her out of her moral debate effectively, her light green orbs seeking his light brown ones. They were filled with concern. Friendly, normal, Ron-styled concern. Perhaps she was over thinking this. "KP, you alright? You seem a bit… spaced out."

"Sorry, Ron, just a little jet lagged. International flights and all, no big, right?" she replied, not exactly lying, and offered him a smile, turning her attention to Rufus. "You know, I'm surprised you haven't eaten yourself into a cheese-induced coma."

The small, pink creature just seemed to smile up at her, chattering away something that could almost pass for English. Something told her he was letting her know that his cheese tolerance had improved greatly and that he was just on round one. Or maybe that was just her imagination. Either way, the naked mole rat returned his attention to the food, seemingly pleased with Kim's return but more interested with finishing his… whatever that concoction was called. Now at a much closer distance, Kim wasn't sure it was anything _but _cheese and some strange brownish looking thing that probably passed for meat. What kind of meat? Tough to say.

"Well, you know Rufus, he's always looking to push the limits of his stomach. I just wanna know how he doesn't manage to gain any weight!" Ron's smile doesn't seemed forced, his joking tone doesn't seemed strained, and the more she thought about it, the more Kim felt she was the only one who felt any discomfort. Maybe she was stressing for no reason. Trying to let her old, joking self come through, Kim prepared to say something when Ron cut her off abruptly. "So, how's the college dating scene? Found a guy who can measure up to the Ron-man?"

His tone was joking, and he quickly followed the question with a laugh, but Kim couldn't help the shocked expression that took over her face. This was _exactly_ what she feared would happen. She didn't want to tell him the truth; she didn't even know what the truth _was _quite yet. However, she knew that gleam in his eye. He wasn't going to drop it. Ron wanted an answer, maybe in the honest interest of seeing how his best friend was doing or maybe to see if she was sorry for dumping him, Kim couldn't be sure of his motives. All she knew was that, no matter what, she _did not _want to answer.

~Somewhere High Over Middleton~

"Are you sure about this Shego? As I seem to recall, no plan we've ever been a part of has worked out, especially when a certain redheaded cheerleader is involved!" Dr. Drakken yelled over the whirring of the helicopter blades to his assistant, poised at the side door. The two had been making remarkable progress with the Leaving Villainy Behind Program offered by Global Justice, Drakken more so than Shego, but this would certainly be a step in the opposite direction to any casual onlooker. Shego, however, didn't seem to care too much, dressed in her famous black and green suit and looking every bit the villainess, down to the evil smirk gracing her black painted lips.

"Look, Dr. D, _you _might not have a good record, but _I_ happen to be a little better at this than you!" Shego called over her shoulder, trying to keep the sneer out of her voice. She'd worked too hard on this plan for him to chicken out now. She ran a hand through her ebony locks, trying to hide the nervous gesture. Despite having worked to make sure even the slightest miscalculation was accounted for, Shego was still worried that her plan might unintentionally back fire, as most plans with Drakken involved tended to do. She didn't let any of that worry show though; that just wasn't in her nature. "Trust me; this will be an absolute cake walk!"

Drakken didn't seem to completely believe her words which she couldn't rightly fault him for after their eight month vacation from villainy. While she'd objecting to leaving the supervillain lifestyle at first, Shego had become a tad lazy in her training recently, which Dr. Drakken had mentioned when she first proposed her plan. Of course, to keep up appearances, Shego had promptly hurled a few balls of plasma his way to remind him that her being 'out of practice' was highly unlikely. Though, truth to tell, she didn't _like _to admit that she was enjoying the prospect of not being blown up, fried, or otherwise adversely affected by Dr. Drakken's ill executed plots. Also, not seeing the inside of a jail cell in close to a year was too good for words. There was always a risk that this plan might fall through and her clean streak might be broken but, considering the stakes, she felt it was more than worth it.

"I'm starting to wonder if I'm rubbing off on you," Drakken mumbled, thinking he'd said nearly the same line to her once or twice during ill fates plans of his own.

"What did you just say?" Shego's voice cut like a blade through Drakken's thoughts, nearly causing him to jump out of the pilot's seat.

"Oh, nothing, just remarking on what would happen to our new lives if this were to get out. I'll have you know I'm now a rather respected member of the scientific commun-"

"Yeah, and I can still rip you to shreds!" Shego interrupted with a flare of green plasma accenting her point as she extended her claws towards her employer. "I promise you won't lose your precious little Global Justice gold stars because of this. After all, let's not forget what we're _really _doing here, Dr. D. As long as you do _exactly_ as I told you, this'll all work out _exactly _as I planned."

Finally, they reached the point where Shego was to make her jump. A quick tug to make sure her parachute was on securely and a yell at the blue skinned pilot to read from the note card she'd given him was all she needed before jumping out of the helicopter and into the calm winter sky. With a grumble, Drakken swung the aircraft around and fished out said note card. Putting on his headphones, Drakken punched in the number Shego had written down and waited a few moments for the line to connect.

"The eagle is flying."

~Back at Bueno Nacho~

Kim couldn't believe her luck. Just as she was trying to formulate some sort of response to Ron's question, his phone rang. Never before had she been so grateful for the invention of cellular devices. With a surprising politeness, Ron had excused himself from the table to take the call, heading out into the chilly December air. Her first thought was that it might be his new girlfriend, and while she found herself curious about the call, she couldn't find it in her to even feign jealousy. Her eyes dropped to Rufus, who was moaning about not having more to eat.

"You don't think I'm a bad person because I don't mind that Ron might be dating again, do you? I mean, I'm his friend, I want him to be happy. That's not wrong, right? I even kinda want to meet his girlfriend, if he has one, I'm sure she'd be nice, and that's what a good friend would do, right? Want to meet the girl?" Kim frowned, trying to make sense of the jumble in her head. "But that isn't what an ex would do. I mean, I shouldn't concern myself with his love life, because I don't want to be in it, right? I'm sure he's completely capable of finding a cute, sweet girl on his own."

Rufus just stared up at her, blinking for a few seconds before pointing towards the cash register. "Naco?"

"One track minded today, aren't we?" Kim sighed, getting up to oblige the naked mole rat. Of all the things he learned to say, he couldn't pick a semi healthy word, like "apple" or "salad" or "don't worry", no, he learned "naco" instead. As she pulled out her wallet to pay, Kim felt a slight chill from the door opening. Ron must've come back inside… and he'll probably want to continue their conversation. 'Sometimes, I wish some superhero would come and save _me _from things like this!' she thought, tucking her wallet back into her pocket and turning towards the table. Only by chance did she notice that there was a dime by her shoe and chose to stoop down and pick it up.

She never reached it though. A second later, Kim felt a familiar heat pass through the air where her head had previously been, eyes widening in surprise as much as in excitement. Springing forward and rolling away, Kim felt her body react almost on intuition alone, needing no conscious thought as she settled into her familiar defensive stance. She couldn't help but smile. Didn't this bring back memories!

"Ah, Shego, some things never change, do they?" Kim felt her smile widen as the green skinned woman in front of her laughed, settling into a stance all her own, green plasma flowing along her claws. The two foes circled, watching the other. For the first time in a long time, Kim felt alive, like her old self, like the heroine she'd made of herself. Something inside her wished the battle would drag out, to keep her from facing Ron's questions and so she wouldn't lose this feeling of danger, this amazing rush of adrenaline.

"Well, Princess, I thought you could use a little welcome home beating," those black lips pulled back in a mean grin right as she lunged towards her target, nearly tearing through Kim's right shoulder. However, Kim's reflexes were as sharp as ever, effortlessly bending back to dodge the blow as her leg kicked out, just missing Shego's shin. Without a second to pause, the two continued their deadly dance, moving across the lobby with all the deadly grace they'd become absolutely famous for, in their respective circles. Though her university didn't have a cheerleading team, per say, Kim had applied to the gymnastics team and kept up a rigorous martial arts regiment. From the way Shego was moving, the redhead assumed her favorite foe had been keeping to her own strict training as well.

Punch, block, counterattack, block, two more punches, redirected, the dance continued with neither really gaining the upper hand. Kim could feel herself sweating through her coat and jeans, though she made sure she didn't appear to be slowing down in the least. Shego kept up her taunts, as usual, managing to run the gambit, from her wardrobe, to her car, to her college, even insulting Rufus as he cheered from the sidelines, too gorged to participate in the fight at all. It was strangely refreshing, this retreat into her old routine. However, about now was usually the time when Dr. Drakken or Ron would burst in, either stopping the fight completely or preventing one party or the other from continuing their assault. Instead, a strange beeping noise rang out, and Shego jumped away, clearing herself from Kim's attack range.

"Uh-oh, sorry Kimmie, seems you've run out of time. See you soon, Princess!" Shego laughed at the surprise evident on Kim's face, leaping towards the exit and giving Kim one last triumphant smirk before bolting through the door, a loud clatter signaling her departure. For a moment, the former teen super hero wasn't quite sure what had just happened. The moment passed though, her mind quickly remembering her usual routine. In a flash, her Kimmunicator was in her hand.

"Wade!" Kim practically shouted, hurriedly picking Rufus up from the table and almost put him on her shoulder. The small rodent gave her a disapproving squeak from her rough grasp as she headed towards the door though Kim didn't register it. Her attention was focused on the screen as her young techno genius friend appeared for the first time in entirely too long. The surprise of her call even caught him off guard, a small amount of soda made it onto his shirt as he coughed, trying to quickly recover and give a proper greeting. Kim, still the kind person she'd always been, apologized for her volume and continued in a much more civil tone. "Wade, please tell me _you _know why Shego came all the way to Bueno Nacho to attack me for seemingly no reason."

"I'm on it Kim!" Wade's fingers were soon flying over the keyboard as he tried to dig up any information he could. Kim pushed the door open and stepped out, hearing a sort of scrapping sound, like plastic on concrete. Managing to tear her gaze away from Wade long enough to examine the object she'd accidently kicked, Kim felt a smile conquer her features. "Well, there's nothing I can see that would have her in the area. Did she leave any hint as to why she was there or where she was going?"

"Maybe," Kim bent over and picked up the small, hand-held device. It looked an awful lot like her Kimmunicator, though far less sophisticated. She had no doubt who it belonged to; no one besides one familiar femme fatale ever mixed green and black.

"Maybe?" Wade raised an eyebrow, scratching his head as if nervous.

"Can't be completely sure, but it seems she left behind a little present for me. Think you can crack it?" Kim held the communicator in front of the screen, earning a cocky smile from her young friend. It turned out to be far easier than she thought; this device was just barely more insidious than your average cell phone.

"That was a bit anti-climactic, huh? Anyway, looks like there's only two sound files and a digital grid on it, Kim. I'll play in them in order." A second later, a familiar voice resounded into the December air, and Kim could almost pretend she was a few years younger.

"_Shego, this is Drakken, Stoppable will be at Bueno Nacho today at exactly 2:30… that's pm… erm, make sure you capture him or my brilliant plan to take over the world won't work."_

"_Stupid back… grr… uh, yes, anyway, right, once you capture Stoppable, make sure you bring him to the Super Top Secret Lair, coordinates to follow."_

Kim frowned as the playback stopped. Something didn't seem right. Sure, it was Dr. D's voice, his attitude, that all fit, but there was something in his tone, like he was annoyed or something. Wade seemed to share her sentiment.

"Hmmm, this sounds like a trap. A really obvious trap. Which is Drakken's m.o., right? Face it; he's not the kind of guy to be subtle. He invented the 'trap trap' for crying out loud!" Kim was more talking to herself than Wade, though he offered her an affirmative response. For a split second, she considered calling GJ and just letting them handle the whole ordeal. This wasn't exactly her bag any more, she'd been out of practice for a while, and she was supposed to be on vacation. But if that fight with Shego proved anything, it was that she _still _was 'all that' and the competitive cheerleader in her demanded that she prove it. "Wade-"

"Already on it KP! Luckily, you haven't cashed in every favor you've ever accumulated. There's a private flight waiting to take you to the coordinates, I've already forwarded the information." Wade smiled, nearly unable to contain the excitement within him. "It's just like old times, huh?"

"You bet, Wade. You know what they say: some things never change!"

~A Few Hours Later~

"I don't know if this is more embarrassing or annoying," Kim mumbled to herself as she snuck her way down a long corridor. Somehow, with or without Wade's help, Kim Possible had always managed to find that main room she needed to be in to foil her enemies' plots. However, she was having more issues with this particular secret lab/lair complex than she could've imagined. If she didn't know any better, she'd swear the hallways were rearranging themselves when she wasn't looking.

_What a great time to get lost. I don't know what's worse: not knowing where the hell I'm going or being super paranoid in the process! _Her paranoia was unfounded though. For what reason she couldn't begin to fathom, the alarms hadn't yet been activated, her presence still unknown to the good Doctor and his lovely assistant, which she could only count as a grand blessing. _Perhaps my luck is just too good today, _she thought, a grin settling on her lips. A little luck couldn't hurt. That's why she was dressed in her trademark mission uniform, hoping that maybe she could trick herself into thinking not a day had passed, that she was just as fast and quick and strong as she'd been not but eight months prior. She needed that special combination of confidence, luck, and raw skill to survive this ordeal. Just before she reached the large set of double doors at the end of the hallway though, Kim stopped and thought over the day. Yes, she'd had some extraordinary luck in the past, but _nothing _like this. In fact, the few times her luck had been nearly as good as this, she'd almost immediately faced some great challenge or other afterwards. If that reasoning held true, beyond these doors would be a greater challenge than ever before. _Well, here goes nothing, I guess._

Kim kicked the doors in, jumping into the room and performing a near perfect combat roll, gaining her feet and instantly settling into a comfortable fighting stance. Her eyes were scanning the room from top to bottom, left to right, systematically working through the possibilities. Again, she found the room empty, though, by the looks of the area, it had to be the main room that Drakken _would_ use as a staging point for whatever diabolical plan he had hatching. But where the hell was he?

"Kim Possible!" the voice she'd been waiting to hear called out, echoing in the room just a tad. Kim whirled around and looked up, suddenly noticing the platform above her. _Maybe I _am _starting to lose my touch._

"Drakken! Just couldn't stay away, could you?" despite the doubting thoughts, Kim's voice was confident and strong.

"Oh, so you _still _think you're all that, Possible? Well, you've done a marvelous job so far!" Drakken hit a button on a remote and a wall to her right lifted to reveal Ron, looking surprisingly calm all things considered, dangling upside down over a pool filled with alligators.

"Alligators, Drakken? Really? I'd say that's a step in the wrong direction for you, much too cliché," Kim teased before directing her attention to Ron. "Just hang in there, Ron!"

"Oh, I'm hangin' alright!" came the shouted reply. Again, Kim had the sneaking suspicion that he wasn't as concerned as he should be, but she didn't dwell on it.

"'Just hang in there'? And you say _I'm _being cliché!" Her eyes refocused on Drakken just in time to catch him stuff some sort of white card back into his customary blue evil scientist suit. "Be that as it may, you are only here so that you can witness the fruition of my greatest plan for world domination!"

"And that would be…?" Kim arched a brow, surprised at the lack of details. Usually, by now, she knew almost everything about whatever he had planned, including the way to stop it. Instead of answering her by launching into a long winded speech, the blue skinned villain just laughed.

"You'll find out soon enough, Kim Possible! But where _are_ my manners? I should introduce you to my other guests!" There it was, the thinly veiled threat, the promise that whatever was about to happen would _not _bode well for the young woman. It was just like old times. And Kim was loving it.

Kim ducked the flying kick just in time, Shego's lithe form landing just in front of the teen heroine. When the two faced each other, ready for their fight to begin, they each had a fleeting thought of how strange it was that the other was smiling like a damn fool. But thoughts like these had no business here, at the beginning of their dance between life and death. It would have to wait until later. Shego's mouth opened, probably to throw more taunts her way, but Kim was rather impatient and launched an attack of her own. Kim would like to say that she caught the villainess off guard, having come within inches of landing a punch straight to her adversary's green tinted cheek. Yet, Shego did dodge, and effortlessly threw the young woman over her, igniting her plasma as the former cheerleader made a perfect landing. The women faced off, suddenly forgetting everything else.

Kim took the moment to catch her breath before Shego attacked, raking the air with her claws as Kim ducked the swing and threw a punch straight to Shego's gut. The blow connected, but the green hued woman showed no signs of stopping, bringing her elbow down to smash into Kim's shoulder. The redhead bit back a groan as she slid away from Shego, keeping her hands up in defense. It suddenly dawned on her that, perhaps, Shego had been pulling her punches earlier, and only now was ready to unleash her full fury on the out of shape heroine. _Not. Good._ Kim gritted her teeth as she blocked Shego's kick, throwing her own with a twist of her hips. She caught the green woman in the ribs and elicited a groan of pain from the older woman. Kim couldn't suppress the smirk that came to her lips. Her smirk was short lived though as Shego's arm dropped, trapping the redhead's leg to the villainess' side. With a savage twist of her body, Kim was flying through the air, landing with a solid thud up against the wall and hitting the ground with a groan. _Oh God, maybe I did bite off more than I can chew with this one._ Kim coughed, struggling to regain her composure as Shego slowly approached, plasma glowing ever brighter.

"Having fun yet, Pumpkin?" Shego taunted as she drew closer. Kim wanted to reply with something witty or even taunting in her own right but her mind blanked. She was too concerned about how she was going to win this battle. Shego took her silence as a response and stopped about four feet away, her plasma extinguishing as she perched her hands upon her hips. "At this rate, you won't make it to the after party!"

Kim ignored the verbal jab and instead launched herself at her mortal enemy, tackling the woman to the ground. They rolled around for a minute or two, struggling to gain the upper hand, before Kim managed to launch Shego off, kicking her legs into the woman's gut. Kim quickly regained her feet and turned in time to catch the incoming punch, using Shego's forward momentum to throw her against the wall. Suddenly, there was a burst of confidence in the former hero, her famous motto echoing in her head. _That's right. I'm Kim Possible and I _can _do anything!_ Wasting no time, Kim charged her foe and jumped into the air, her flying kick connecting with Shego's shoulder as the villainess failed to dodge. Kim hit the ground and rolled, fluidly moving in to attack Shego as she reeled from the kick. The former cheerleader almost felt like she was in her super suit, landing blows or having them narrowly deflected as the green woman continued to backpedal, trying to regain her fighting stance. This is what Kim had been missing: the thrill of chasing down her enemies, the excitement of fighting for her life, the rush at realizing she'd succeeded yet again. As Kim landed a kick to Shego's stomach, she made her decision. It was time for her to get back into the saving the world business. Something about that thought must have reflected in her face.

"Oh, don't you look determined," Shego's voice cut through Kim's thoughts, sounded slightly winded but nowhere near how the younger woman would've expected after the beating she thought she'd landed on her adversary. Kim gave a triumphant smile.

"Guess you could say that. I think you've just proven that I need to reconsider my early retirement."

"Is that so?" Shego raised a brow, those black lips curved into a wicked smirk. Kim couldn't help but mirror the expression.

"Yeah, that _is _so!" Kim dropped down into her stance once more, her left arm extended out, palm facing up, her fingers moving as one in the universal 'bring it on' motion. She expected Shego to attack, or Drakken to say something corny, or even Ron to start yelling about hurrying up so he wouldn't wind up as a snack for the alligators. None of these happened though. Instead, the entire room seemed to jump to life as several voices rang out together, Kim barely able to make out the word they all shouted.

"SURPRISE!" Kim blinked, whirling around to take in the several faces, all with large smiles directed her way.

"What the-" Kim was cut off as someone embraced her, a familiar face she hadn't seen in far too long. "Monique!"

"'Sup girl? Had you going there for a bit, I know I know, but, girl, you shoulda seen the look on your face!" Kim shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around what just happened when yet another familiar voice chimed in, though this one she could've done without.

"Aye, lass, it's good ta see you back in tha game," Duff Killigan clapped a hand on her shoulder, though it felt more congratulatory than malicious. Still thoroughly confused, Kim searched for some sort of explanation and was met with almost everyone she'd ever worked with or against. Lord Monkey Fist, DNAmy, Señor Senior Senior, and his son Junior, Professor Dementor, Adrena Lyyn, and Jack Hench stood around her, though she couldn't detect a trace of malice or anger in their expressions. They seemed genuinely… happy? But her old enemies weren't the only parties in attendance. Dr. Director was also standing by, with Will Du and Team Go, Yori and Sensei, along with one of Wade's mobile robots, and at some point Ron had been let down from above the alligator tank and had joined the group. Finally, Kim managed to find her voice.

"Wait, what just happened?" Rather than receive an answer, Kim was met with a chorus of laughter and some well meaning slaps to the back (though some were a little harder than necessary). Finally, Wade's robot stepped up, or rolled up, rather, and the young techno genius enlightened the newly reestablished heroine.

"Basically, Kim, this is a surprise welcome home party that doubled as a, well, intervention, I guess you could say," he reached a hand behind his head, scratching absentmindedly as he thought of how to best explain the situation. Kim was in no rush; she hadn't moved since the initial surprise.

"What Wade means is that we all know how much you enjoyed being the globe-trotting teen heroine and someone needed to make you realize it too," Ron spoke up, with Rufus nodding his head enthusiastically. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Kim wondered exactly when Rufus had managed to be reunited with his master, but that wasn't exactly important. Only now had did it start to dawn on her what had just transpired.

"Wait, so this whole thing- Shego's attack at Bueno Nacho, kidnapping Ron, the alligators, the fight- all that was staged?" Kim stared, slightly dumbfounded, at Ron. The blonde just nodded, a goofy grin on his face. "So was this Drakken 'plan'?"

"Uh, no, Princess, seeing as this plan actually _worked_, I think it's rather obvious he had _nothing_ to do with the process," Shego's voice cut in, deflating her blue skinned employer quite thoroughly, also earning laughs from his fellow villains.

"I was skeptical to this little plot working myself," Dr. Betty Director cut in, a small smirk on her face. "But, seeing as you've expressed your wish to reenter the business, might I interest you in a contract with Global Justice?"

"A contract?" Kim looked to Ron, Rufus, and Wade for some form of explanation. "Not like those Team Impossible jerks, right?"

"That is up to you," Dr. Director replied, waving a hand. "This is a discussion for later. Right now, I believe there is some cake that needs to be eaten… if someone hasn't gotten to it already." She threw a rather severe look towards Mego.

"What? I was just tasting the icing, that's _hardly_ something you can fault me for!" the purple hero replied, crossing his arms and avoiding eye contact. Kim couldn't help but smile as everyone agreed to finding the cake and start cutting it up. Before following the crowd, she managed to pull Ron aside for a quick question.

"So, who _did_ plan all this?" she questioned, arching a brow, ready to resort to her puppy dog pout if he tried to hold out on her. Luckily, Stoppable knew better than to try to hide the answer from her.

"Actually, Shego did," Ron replied, nodding towards the emerald woman who was visibly trying to keep herself from whacking her eldest brother, Hego. "She did all the hard work; the rest of us just played our parts. She said she knew you well enough to know there's no way you could just give up the 'goody goody' role, as she called it."

"Really? I didn't know she cared," Kim replied, a hint of sarcasm in her tone. She could feel where her muscles ached, just waiting to turn into bright purple bruises, the ever constant results of their little battles. _I'm sure she'd call them 'love taps'_ Kim thought, barely suppressing a laugh as she moved to rejoin the group. _I guess some things _do _change!_

"Yeah, she also said she was starting to get fat from not kicking your ass every other day," Ron supplied, earning a laugh from Kim.

"Now _that _I believe," Kim took another look around the room and felt a smile fix itself upon her lips. It was the strangest sight she'd seen in far too long and she wouldn't change it for the world. Some of the pieces still didn't seem to fit, like why so many of her past enemies would be welcoming her back, or why Ron hadn't started freaking out with Monkey Fist so close. Yet, it only felt right to thank Shego for doing this, no matter what her true motives might be. The redhead looked around until she finally spotted her target, standing in the far corner, talking to Drakken. As she made her way over, Kim was vaguely aware of Ron following, probably curious as to what she would say and the response she'd get from her usually snide foe. Of course, Shego saw her coming and stopped her conversation with Drakken before the teens could get within earshot.

"So, Princess, enjoying the party?" There was a trace of her usual humor but it wasn't malicious; in fact, Kim was certain, there was a touch of pride in her tone. _Hell, there should be an award for getting these people to stay in a room together, much less do so without blasting one another to pieces!_ Kim nodded, extending her hand out, hoping the gesture wouldn't be too 'nice' for Shego.

"Thanks, Shego, for doing all this. It's just what I needed," Kim watched as Shego eyed her hand warily and, somewhat reluctantly, took it, a wide grin on her lips.

"Yeah, doy, just admit that I'm 'all that' so blue boy over here will finally give me a raise," Shego casually threw a look towards Drakken, who attempted to reply but was cut short by Shego's hand covering his mouth. Kim laughed, still shaking Shego's hand, having temporarily forgotten about it. Ron quickly noticed it and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Gee, KP, you might want to let her go before she fries your hand off or something!" Rufus squeaked his approval, earning a rather venomous glare from Shego.

"I don't recall seeing _your_ name on the guest list, buffoon," the villainess replied, a slight edge to her tone. While Kim was certain she was just joking, Ron stayed on the safe side and hid behind his best friend. Kim stifled her laugh and gave her foe a final nod. Shego seemed to understand. "Don't worry, I'll play nice, but next time you seem me, I'm not pulling the punches."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Kim honestly replied, relaxing her hand. Suddenly a green flash erupted in front of her, bathing her in a strange warmth before robbing her of breath. The world was spinning though she couldn't recall actually seeing anything, just the weightlessness of falling down an elevator shaft, but there was no wind, no sound, nothing. _What the hell is this? Death?_

After a solid minute of this strange limbo, Kim felt the world stop spinning, her feet coming in contact with what she thought to be solid ground, her senses returning in full force. The first thing she registered was the bright sunlight, which made no sense as she'd been inside, a few levels underground no less, but she opened her eyes anyway. That's when she noticed she was still holding Shego's hand, Ron was still griping her shoulders for dear life, and Drakken was clinging to Shego's other arm, looking as startled as Kim felt.

"Sh-shego?" Kim managed to mumble, though she felt like she'd just done a few hundred rounds on the tilt-a-whirl, her eyes trying hard to focus on the face in front of her.

"D-don't look at me, ugh, Princess," Shego grumbled back, releasing Kim's hand to cover her mouth, her face looking a shade greener than usual. "Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick."

"See, THIS is what happens when you have a party in a secret lab used by a mad scientist," Ron seemed the most coherent of the four of them, but that was only as far as speech was concerned. The moment he tried to move away from Kim, the blond young man ended up flat on his back. "On the upside, it's a nice day out."

"I take, mmfh, offense to that statement," Drakken finally managed, though still leaning on Shego for support. Her eyes finally starting to really focus, Kim looked around. They seemed to be on a nice, grassy hill, in the middle of a park.

"So, any guesses as to where we are, Miss Globe Trotter?" Kim thought about retorting with a sarcastic comment of her own but decided against it. Now wasn't the time for them to be fighting. She pulled her Kimmunicator out, trying to contact Wade.

"This doesn't look like any park I've ever been to, though that's not saying much," Kim looked around, noting the buildings in off to the Southeast. "We could check the city, find a map, and determine where we are."

"Assuming anyone speaks English," Shego mumbled, finally taking notice of Drakken clinging to her and shaking him off. The blue scientist smiled apologetically and scratched behind his neck. "You sure that's the best idea?"

"Do you have any _other_ suggestions?" Kim bit back, tucking away her Kimmunicator. It was only bringing up static, which could mean there was some sort of jamming device close by. Regardless, Kim never enjoyed the idea of flying blind.

"Well, we could check there," Ron said, pointing to the West. Kim, Shego, and Drakken followed the line of his finger until their eyes came to rest on the impossibly large 'T' shaped building, standing alone in the bay. Kim raised a brow.

"I guess that's an option too," she mumbled, not quite certain _how_ they would get there.

"Are you sure that's safe?" Drakken chimed in, trying to mask the sincere terror in his voice. "I mean, we don't know who lives there, could be the same people who brought us here!"

"Nah, I don't think anyone evil would live in a huge, obvious building in the middle of a harbor," Ron replied nonchalantly, picking himself off the ground. Kim couldn't help but give her friend a confused look. He was being way too calm, all things considered. "That's really a good guy only thing. Gotta be obvious for being to find when they need help."

"Blonde boy has a point. The only supervillian dumb enough to do something like that is…" Shego trailed off, seemingly lost in thought, then turning her gaze to Drakken. "Well, you, Doctor D."

Drakken scowled at that, crossing his arms over his chest. "Very funny, Shego. Guess that's why I _quit_ being evil!"

"Can we save the drama for later, please?" Kim cut in, turning towards the city. "I still say the city is our best bet. We don't know how to get to that thing anyway. Once we know where we are, we can work on getting help from whoever to get home."

"As much as I hate to admit it, the cheerleader's probably right," Shego sighed, turning away from the harbor, though she did toss one last look at the tower. "Well, lead on, Princess. I'm sure someone will recognize you."

"I'm more concerned with them recognizing _us,_ Shego. We might not be public enemy number one and two anymore, but I doubt people are going to be happy to see us," Drakken mumbled as he followed his archenemy and subordinate, Ron bringing up the rear as he quietly calmed Rufus down. The four made their way to the city in silence, each completely absorbed in their own thoughts, and completely unaware they were being watched.

_Continued in Chapter 2: Welcome to Jump City! (or And You Are?)_

Author's note: Alright, so here's my first attempt at fanfiction. Probably looking at 10-12 chapters, all about this length or more, as I have a lot planned for Kim and crew to overcome. I will try to avoid unnecessary cliffhangers, as I truly despise them. Oh, and as for pairings, there will be quite a few throughout the story, and while I don't wish to spoil the surprise, I did list Kim/Shego seeing as that could be… off-putting for some. Rating may go up, haven't truly decided on that yet, but I will post a notice if it changes. Criticism is welcome; I hope this will help improve my writing skills, so any tips would be appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Quite unsurprisingly, I still do not own Teen Titans or Kim Possible. Though, if anyone was looking to get me a belated, or early, birthday present, HINT HINT!

Foreword: This chapter might push the 'T' rating, just because I don't understand what 'minor suggestive adult themes' means, in reality. I think offhand innuendo is 'minor' but, if not, I'll up the rating. More notes at the end.

Chapter 2: Welcome to Jump City! (or And You Are?)

"Well, this place isn't _too_ horrible," Shego muttered, her eyes scanning the street for any sign of hostile action. While the emerald skinned villainess had been many places before, she knew for certain that she'd never been within a hundred miles of this place. After getting a bit lost (though, since they were lost to begin with, that wasn't difficult to accomplish) the four of them managed to stumble into what appeared to be the city's center, or at least a good place to start resolving the mystery of their location. Huge screens adorned the sides of every building, broadcasting everything from commercials to news. However, nothing looked familiar, though some of the names sounded right. _It's like we're in a different time era. Knowing Doctor D and his stupid experiments, I wouldn't be too surprised._ Without thinking, she threw her employer a dark look, causing the man to shrink away momentarily.

"Damnit! It feels like we're getting nowhere!" Kim groaned, trying to make sense of a news report flashing on one of the larger screens. Shego's eyebrows rose at the unexpected use of language, but she said nothing. As it was, Shego had little to complain about; she was still in one piece, no one had attacked them yet, and, though she found it more than a little odd, no one was staring at her. _Thank God for the little things, I guess._ She thought about retorting with something more suited to her style, something snide or teasing, or simply complaining that perhaps figuring out where they were, exactly, was something Kim Possible _couldn't _do, but she thought better of it. _The moment I say a damn word, all Hell will break loose. Or freeze over. Not pleasant, either way._ "Do any of you recognize where we are?"

"Sorry, Princess, but I'm as confused as you are," Shego managed a somewhat even tone, checking the sky once more. "If we're assuming that the large body of water over there is an ocean, we're either on the West Coast or in England."

"Um, Shego, I hate to be rude, but, _none_ of these people are English!" Drakken, who was starting to get rather annoyed, looked around. "No accents, and the little conversation we've managed to overhear has lacked English idioms or used American slang. Besides, the architecture is wrong. I mean, we've been to England, Shego, that doesn't make sense as a possibility."

"Drakken, Shego knows that, but the West Coast option doesn't fit either," Kim interjected before Shego could round on her employer. "If we were on the West Coast, we would all know _instantly_ what city we're in, either from having been there one missions or from landmarks. This city is easily the size of Los Angeles but it lacks any sort of distinction we're familiar with, and I _know_ no big city on the coast has a huge 'T' sitting in their harbor. They are equally implausible and, yet, the only two options that _could_ make sense. "

"KP, you just defended Shego," Ron pointed out, tapping his chin with his finger. "So, obviously, we're in a parallel dimension."

"What, she explains to you two knuckleheads things you should've already noticed, so we must be in a parallel dimension?" Shego snapped, turning the anger she was going to direct at Drakken towards the blonde sidekick. Ron seemed unfazed, a slightly cocky grin on his face as he pointed towards one of the screens. The other three looked up, staring at the weather man on screen without reaction. "And we are looking at…?"

"A map of the United States that is showing this place as 'Jump City' and holding the same geographical location as San Francisco," Ron explained, earning surprised looks from all three of his companions. Even Rufus looked slightly impressed, having just recently recovered from his bout of sickness after their impromptu trip. (Obviously, Bueno Nacho is _not_ the food of choice when you're being thrown about by random green lights.)

"Is it just me, or did the buffoon get smarter?" Drakken finally said, scratching his head and looking from Shego to Kim.

"You know, I think he might have," Shego placed her hands on her hips and smiled. "That, or he managed to switch brains with the mole rat during the trip."

Ron looked to Kim before rolling his eyes. "Fine, fine, jab at me all you want, Shego. It's not like we might be stuck here for the rest of our lives or anything and you might have to actually consider being nice to me for a change."

"I'll consider it once Hell freezes over."

"ENOUGH!" Kim glared at both of them, and at Drakken for good measure, ready to say something else but was interrupted by her stomach growling. Shego raised an eyebrow.

"That was impressive, Princess. Can you make it talk?" Shego was rewarded with an eye roll and a snort of laughter from Drakken.

"Possible does bring up a good point; we should try to find something to eat while we have the chance, now that we've established where we are… sorta," Drakken managed a rather dignified tone, though it didn't sound natural coming from a man who used to rant about taking over the world, and lately ranted about making it a better place. _It's like living with a bipolar talking blueberry._

"I'm with Drakken, surprisingly. Food is good," Ron chipped in, hiking a thumb towards a large, two story pizza joint at the epicenter of the area. "If this place really is America, in some sense, our money might still be good. Best to find that out now, don't you think?"

"Well, pizza _does_ sound good," Kim's voice betrayed how hungry she was and Shego, rather sick of walking around anyway, decided to go along with it. In another surprising twist, the buffoon managed to score another point, as their money was accepted without question, though Shego ended up having to pay for all of them. "I never think to bring my purse on missions," the redhead sounded downright apologetic but Shego just blew it off, replaying as nonchalantly as possible.

"Well, don't. It would just get in your way. That's why I just carry a money clip: small, portable, and easy to manage. And you owe me," Shego was surprised as those last four words left her mouth but didn't let it show, her mouth setting into her usual, taunting smile. The buffoon and Dr. D were too busy with their pizza to notice but Kim's bright green eyes seemed to flicker a moment, meeting Shego's emerald orbs, before staring rather intently out towards the rest of the city. _Oh, I think I touched a nerve. Wonder what Kimmie is thinking about. Maybe I should let her… suggest how to pay me back? _Shego shook her head a little. Maybe that bright flash knocked something loose_. I can't believe where this thought train is taking me._ Shego was pulled from her thoughts by a something small poking her in the ribs. The emerald woman raised an eyebrow to the child standing there, looking at her with wide eyes. Instinct said to tell him to buzz off but the look Kim had promised she wouldn't like the outcome of that action. Instead, the villainess gritted out a terse reply. "Can I help you?"

"Are you Beastboy's sister?" the query sounded so innocent, the woman it was directed to allowed her face to soften slightly, forgetting her audience.

"Uh, no, I'm not. Why would you ask that?" Shego missed the look of slight shock on Ron's face at the slight tenderness in her usually snide tone. She also missed the smile on Kim's face.

"'Cause you're green, just like him!" the child eyed her critically, or as critically as an eight-year-old could manage. "Are you sure?"

"He could be my cousin," Shego offered, trying to placate the child. It worked; happy with her answer, he returned to wherever he'd come from with a smile. When her attention returned to the table, she caught the tail end of Kim's smile quickly obstructed with a slice of pizza. Ron, however, didn't have the foresight to change his facial expression and earned the woman's scorn. "What are you looking at, moron?"

"Nothing, I was just, uh, checking out that blonde the next table over! She's hot!" Shego raised a brow at this sudden outburst but let it slide. She'd find a way to exact her revenge some other time. _Huh, I knew they'd split up, but it's never really been in the buffoon's nature to check out girls. Obviously a cover-up, of course, but Kim… didn't even flinch. Shouldn't she still feel something for her boy toy? Or at least be annoyed that he would say that? Something… maybe…_ Shego's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of screams and the painful screeching of metal on concrete. Shego sighed as she saw her redheaded foe get that 'let's go save the world' look in her eye. _And just when I thought this could pass for a vacation._

"Um, what was that?" Drakken asked aloud, jumping up with the others to rush to the edge of the second floor patio. Down below, the four witnessed something strange, even for them. A man was riding a motorcycle with flames following close behind, cackling like a madman as he used some strange piece of metal to shoot out red, what were those, lasers? If the damage he was causing, with bike and handlaser (for lack of a better term), wasn't enough, not far behind was a massive man made out of concrete, picking up and throwing just about anything he got his hands on, without any effort either. _He looks like something out of a Mayan's nightmare._ Shego glanced at Kim, noticing the building determination in her expression. _Oh yes, not even our own dimension and she's going to save the world._ Shego again turned her attention to the two beings wreaking havoc below. _Damn! She's going to need my help. No way just her and the buffoon can take them down._

"Ron, let's go!" the redhead suddenly turned, ready to make a break for the stairs down to the street level. Before she could get away, a man, probably in his mid 20's, grabbed her arm.

"Are you nuts! Don't go down there! The Titans will be here any moment, let them deal with it!" Without thinking, Shego reached forward and shoved the man aside, effectively breaking Kim free of his grasp. The heroine arched a brow at the emerald villainess, earning a disinterested look from her 'savior'.

"We have a better chance of getting back with nerdlinger's help, so keeping you alive is in my best interest. And I just _know_ you won't wait until the suitable authorities arrive, so how about we go kick some ass and get back to the pizza?" Shego managed a sufficiently mocking tone, allowing the teen to resume her task of heading down the stairs. Ron slipped past Shego with a muttered 'thanks' and followed suit.

"I think I'll stay here, Shego. I know I'd just get in your way if I tried to help," Drakken spat, a bit venomously. "I never did have that uncanny luck the buffoon always seems to possess. What's his name again? Reginald? I know it starts with an 'R'…"

Shego rolled her eyes, ignoring the accusing look Drakken was giving her. They never did finish their previous conversation, back when Kim had first come over to thank her, and Shego wasn't too keen on finishing it anytime soon. After all, she'd said her piece, and nothing the 'good doctor' had to say would change her mind. Without worrying about the stairs, Shego flipped over the railing, landing quite effectively on a nearby bench. Surprisingly, Kim had beat her down and was surveying the scene with a critical eye. Shego was doing the same. Their eyes locked; sometimes they thought too alike for Shego's tastes. Kim opened her mouth but was instantly cut off.

"No, Princess, I'll take the walking statue, you worry about that two-wheeled idiot." It was obvious; Kim would, naturally, want to take the more dangerous of the pair. She always did, leaving her buffoon to handle the less threatening aspect of whatever they faced. Shego, however, was not the buffoon, and nothing that woman managed to pack into her cargo pockets would ever bring down _that_ monstrosity. She could see it in those bright green eyes, the will to argue and the logic of the situation battling it out. While Shego would have enjoyed hearing the argument, there simply wasn't time for debate. "They aren't gonna wait all day!"

"Right!" Kim nearly growled, accepting her assignment and turning her full attention to the motorcycle maniac. Shego had to fight to hide the smile she felt tugging at her lips; gloating over ordering Pumpkin around would wait until after things were settled. Her target in sight, Shego ignited her plasma on both hands and charged the concrete monster, easily gaining the creature's full attention. With a practiced grace, Shego dodged the car thrown her way, jumping up onto it and then using it as a sort of spring board to launch higher in the air. There were several things she had to consider: it was strong, obviously with a high resistance to pain, and without any major weakness she could detect. But she also knew she was faster, smarter, and had the added advantage of being notoriously hard to kill. As far as she was concerned, things were looking in her favor. Clasping her hands together, Shego brought down a heavy, plasma laden blow to the creature's head, causing it to stumble backwards. The green skinned woman smirked, wondering if she'd given the creature too much credit, but quickly ducked beneath the massive fist aimed her way. It was only after retreating a sufficient distance that Shego noticed the lack of any damage done to the creature. _Great, just my luck. This is what I get for trying to be a 'good' guy. Kimmie better be having better luck; I don't have the patience to take on this thing _and_ the weirdo knucklehead!_

"Uh oh, looks like kitten wants to play," the man on the motorcycle laughed, wheeling the bike around to face Kim as she stood in the middle of the road, set in her usual defensive stance. She had a good twenty feet between them. She hoped it would be enough.

"Come on, Motordork, let's see what you've got!" Kim inwardly groaned about not having a better taunt lined up. However, she had more pressing issues as the engine revved and tires squealed, the man careening towards her at an unnaturally high speed. And Kim, being Kim Possible, did the only logical thing she could think of: ran straight at the bastard. She felt a wide grin dominate her features at the shock registering on the man's face. That grin turned into a full fledged smile as she leapt into the air and aimed her jump kick square at the villain's chest. The man didn't stand a chance, the combined speed of the collision knocking him from his bike. The motorcycle veered off the road and eventually clattered to the ground as both its owner and Kim crashed to the ground. Kim had the sense to roll as she landed, though the pain in her shoulder screamed 'dislocated' louder than Ron's shouts of horror. As the redhead staggered to her feet, she noticed her opponent was looking just as pained as she guessed she would look, had she not mastered a rather impressive poker face years ago. As subtly as possible, she jerked her shoulder back into place, knowing she'd need to seek medical attention as soon as possible. But that was for later. Her fallen foe had recovered himself enough to stand.

"Wh-what the Hell are you!" the man growled out, producing a long chain from seemingly nowhere. Without hesitation, Kim snapped into her fighting stance, her face exuding confidence the confidence and cockiness that had won her such disdain from her usual enemies.

"A kitten with claws!"

_Heh, more like a tiger made of steel. _Shego spared a thought to the redhead as she dodged yet another flying car. At least the teen heroine was having a better time of things than she was; the concrete monster just _would not _stay down! And She'd tried everything short of exploding the damn thing! _I may not be the goody-goody heroine Kimmie is, but I will _not _be responsible for killing this thing!_ Shego mentally resolved, grounding her teeth together as it turned to face her. Though she was trying every trick she knew, her anger was beginning to grow, and the more powerful it got, the brighter her plasma became. By now, the clever villainess was running out of ideas to combat the creature, all her blows thus far barely making a dent in its surface. However, the concrete monster was starting to slow down, as if it was getting tired, though Shego was certain that wasn't the case. It had to be something else; like it was debating whether to turn and run or stay and fight. No matter. The damn thing was still in front of her, so she still had one hell of a fight on her hands.

"Wow, you redefine the term 'port-o-shitter' for the entire avian community. I'm sure your mother is so proud," Shego shouted as she flanked around the creature's right side. While the taunts and teases were subpar, Shego was more concerned with keeping the creature's attention, specifically keeping it away from Kim and the other bystanders, though, by now, most people had cleared out. Only a few stood at the very far edges of the street, watching the twin battles rage with mouths hanging open. _Speaking of idiots with their mouths open, where the Hell is the buffoon?_

"Aren't you supposed to be helping them?" Drakken cut into Ron's thoughts, causing the blonde sidekick to turn his chestnut eyes on the former evil scientist. The older man had a very disproving look on his face, like he was preparing to lecture Ron on his lack of participation.

"Dude, don't you ever pay attention to Kim's fights? Usually, she takes on the big bad, or most destructive, person in the room and then I try to stop the evil plan or wait until there's a chance for me to help. If I stray of our usual plan of attack, I'll just end up in her way," Ron casually indicated Kim, who was dodging the chain being flicked around like a whip while ducking in to deliver a few good punches. Drakken didn't seem impressed, managing a rather fitting glare. Ron was not in the mood to argue with a man who probably didn't even remember his name. "I thought you were staying on the patio anyway?"

"I was going to… then I realized some habits die hard," Drakken added almost sheepishly, producing from his lab coat a strange ray gun looking device and a few small balls. Ron raised a brow and reached for the ray gun, only to have it held away from him, the small balls offered instead. "Again, some habits die hard; I don't trust you with a catatonia inducer. You might use it on me."

"Touché, although, to be honest, I have no idea what that does," Ron admitted, accepting the small balls, a total of six in all. Rufus appeared on his shoulder to inspect one. Despite everything, Ron suspected his pet was just as adept at understanding the technology as he was, if not a little more so. "Well, what are they? A new type of bubble gum?"

"You know, I did have an idea for a- nevermind!" Drakken shook his head, visibly pulling himself away from his tangent. "These are a special kind of smoke bomb that releases a crystallizing agent. Utilized effectively, they will bring whatever comes in contact with it to a complete standstill, covered in a nearly unbreakable layer of chemical crystal." Drakken looked between the two fights and groaned. "The catatonia inducer temporarily blocks electronic impulses to the brain, inducing a sort of catatonic state-" Drakken noticed the blank stare from Stoppable and groaned, "-it makes the person unable to act or react, though they retain their basic survival functions. It will only work on organic matter though."

"Which I'm guessing means you get to use the freeze ray on the biker dude and I have to take down giganto with some fancy lame fireworks, and that neither of these things have been tested, so we're pretty much hoping and, or, praying. Am I in the ballpark?" Ron's voice held a vague amount of humor, as if he half expected it from the beginning. Drakken thought about questioning the lad, seeing as his attitude didn't resemble the buffoon the Doctor remembered from nearly a year ago, but that would be saved for a later time.

"I would suggest talking to Shego before you employ the crysto-balls. I don't know how they'll react to living tissue," Drakken, ignoring Stoppable's question altogether, adjusted something on his catatonic inducer before looking towards Kim and the biker.

"You don't trust me with a freeze ray but you'll let me throw untested, possibly deadly, materials at your girlfriend?" Ron raised a brow, seeming genuinely confused. Drakken scowled at the teen, responding purely out of annoyance without regard to the words he was using.

"She is _not_ my girlfriend, Stoppable. And trust me: you'll have Kim to answer to if anything were to happen to Shego." Drakken turned and stormed away, leaving Ron stunned. He looked down to his pet, hoping for some explanation. When the naked mole rat simply shrugged, Ron sighed.

"Buddy, I don't like the sound of that."

"Gee, for a big bad biker man, you sure are one helluva wimp!" Kim teased, lightly jumping to the side as the chain harmlessly sailed past her. At this point she seemed to just be toying with him but that wasn't completely true. She was just waiting to see if he would offer up the information she needed. "That why you needed the big guy? Couldn't cut it on your own?"

"Ha! Johnny Rancid doesn't need help from anyone! I just happened to be in the neighborhood, decided to tag along with two ton over there, the guy throws a mean party," the biker, or Johnny rather, hiked a thumb behind him, managing to coincide perfectly with the sound of a car exploding. "See what I mean?" Kim spared a glance behind her target and saw a streak of emerald rolling away from the flaming vehicle. "Cinderblock is just a really fun guy. A no-strings-attached partner in destruction, just the way Johnny rolls!" Obviously, Rancid didn't have the information she wanted; now was the time to put an end to this little dance.

"That's too bad," Kim waited for the chain to be thrown her way again, then grabbed it, pulling Johnny towards her and sharply lifting her knee, robbing the man of breath before he hit the ground. "Now, Johnny, do us all a favor. Be good!"

"Pfhu! Is that all you- Ghrah!" Johnny had started to get up, spitting blood out of his mouth in the process, but stopped with a cry of pain before hitting the ground once more. Kim stared at him a moment, a sudden fear that maybe she'd seriously injured him welling in her heart. When the hand fell on her shoulder, the teen heroine nearly sent the man flying over her shoulder, except the words managed to stop her automatic reaction.

"Possible, he's fine, just catatonic," Drakken's voice was slightly edgy, like he's been on another of his rants. The redhead turned to see her former enemy holding some sort of ray gun. Noticing her gaze, he sighed. "Some habits die hard, alright?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, looking back to the man lying rather still on the ground. A villain named Johnny Rancid whom Kim had trounced while barely breaking a sweat. Kim couldn't help but smile. "I know _exactly_ what you mean. Some things _never_ change."

"Hookay, you are getting on my last good nerve, guy, and I only had one to begin with!" Shego yelled, throwing balls of plasma at the monster. While she was wearing down the two ton nightmare, Shego was beginning to feel the effects herself. After all, she'd been flipping over, running around, dodging above and ducking below the concrete man the entire fight. She was limber and fast, but damn she was starting to get tired. _Why can't I have that uncanny luck Kimmie has? Is that too much to ask for?_

"Shego!" an all too familiar voice called out though it wasn't the one she'd been hoping to hear. _Ah yes, the buffoon. What's that? I could've sworn I just heard God laughing at me._ Throwing a few more plasma blasts directed at the creature's face bought her a few seconds, allowing her to demand what the blonde sidekick wanted with her. "Drakken gave me some weird smoke bomb things! Tell me when to throw them!"

Shego spared Ron an incredulous glance. _My life is in the hands of the buffoon. I was right; that _was_ God laughing. Loudly._ While she hadn't exactly listened to Drakken's extended explanation of the contraptions, she knew enough to not be within a fifteen foot radius when the things went off. However, she also knew the damn things needed at least five seconds to activate. From the speed she'd seen the creature move the entire fight, Shego knew the only chance of making those little bombs work was knocking it down and throwing them as he fell. But that would take timing, a lot of strength, and some serious speed if she was going to get out of there in time. _Damnit, just can't catch a break today, now can I?_ Shego grinned, rather pleased with the turn of events. This beat sitting around the lair, _any_ day!

"Monkey Boy!" Shego called out, quickly formulating the plan in her head. "The moment he starts to fall, throw those bombie things!"

"Shego, behind you!" Ron called out, a bit too late. Shego had already registered the sound of that maniac's motorcycle roaring back to life but the added hint of confusion in the buffoon voice tipped her off. Looking over her shoulder, Shego couldn't help but smile as Kim revved the engine. While it didn't surprise her that the teen could operate a motorcycle, it did take the emerald villainess by surprise that the heroine would ride without a helmet. Then again, Shego reasoned, she wasn't going very far. As Kim cranked the throttle and shifted into gear, Shego ran to one of the cars that had been thrown at her and managed to land right side up, charging her plasma to its strongest before slamming her right fist into the vehicle's hood.

Ron watched, slightly stunned, not even registering Drakken had joined him. The entire vehicle teetered forwards, the front end dipping to the ground just as Kim approached on the motorcycle. Shego jumped clear of her impromptu ramp as Kim managed to pop a wheelie, riding up the car and dismounting midair, kicking off the motorcycle as it sailed towards her target. Kim landed on the other side of the now destroyed car but Ron knew she had made a perfect landing. The motorcycle, however, had a much less graceful landing, crashing into the creature, causing the stone menace to stumble backwards and eventually fall. Ron noticed a second too late and hurriedly threw the six balls Drakken had given him. His aim was terrible; only three of the balls hit. Then again, he reasoned, he was never a baseball guy.

_I honestly did not think he would remember. _Shego thought wryly, dusting herself off as she noted, with a certain smug satisfaction, that their little ploy had worked. The two ton headache was down for the count.

"That went pretty well, I think," Kim's voice caught Shego's attention. The redhead had landed not far away and while she didn't seem to be injured, her voice held a certain tint that indicated to the contrary. That and the way she was moving her arm to stretch her shoulder didn't bode well.

"Hey, Princess. Didn't get roughed up too bad I trust?" Shego kept her usual teasing tone, though she thought she could hear the underlying concern in her own voice. _Don't tell me I've decided to go soft. Now would not be the time for going soft._ Shego mentally chided herself, though she kept a teasing smirk on her lips. No matter how strange things got, she was determined not to let any sign of weakness show. That simply wasn't in her nature.

"No, just dislocated my shoulder when I knocked Johnny Rancid off his bike. I don't envy you; fighting Cinderblock must've been ten times as bad," the redhead shot the hunk of concrete a look and Shego assumed she meant it's name was 'Cinderblock'. _Leave it to Kimmie to learn their names._ All that mattered to her was that the thing wasn't getting up any time soon. Round two with the concrete man wasn't high on her 'To Do' list. "And you?"

"Me?" Shego couldn't keep the slight shock out of her voice. The teen heroine seemed genuinely concerned with her welfare. _Strange. _Shego quickly played it off, crossing her arms and raising a brow. "You honestly thought that thing could handle me? _Please._"

"Right, of course, how foolish of me," Kim responded sarcastically, rolling her eyes as the two started back towards Ron and Drakken. Just before the two managed to get to them, Kim mumbled something that Shego was obviously not meant to hear. "The two of us make a really good team."

_Yeah, I know._ Shego thought about voicing that thought but decided against it. Now wasn't the time. _Will there ever be a time? _She chuckled slightly, lost in her own thoughts as Ron asked if Kim was alright, Drakken knowing better than to question Shego. As the four made to walk back to the pizza joint, her emerald eyes focused on the ground. _I need to get my head on straight. This thought train… needs to get derailed. I can't keep thinking about- where the Hell did that shadow come from? _Before any of them could really say or do anything, the 'shadow' beneath them swallowed the four (plus Rufus). There was only one conscious thought flooding her mind. _Fuck it's cold!_

"Th-th-th-that was free-freezing-g-g!" the buffoon chattered as they suddenly reappeared somewhere completely different. Gone were the cars and street lamps, the sidewalk and buildings, replaced with just a clear view of the sea and the setting sun in the distance, casting an eerie orange glow over them. Still on the adrenaline rush from the fight that just barely ended, Kim and Shego were the first to recover, springing into their fighting stances, eyes searching for whoever had abducted them. They turned in unison, looking back to the East, where the city stood bathed in the orange glow, seemingly peaceful despite the fight that had just taken place somewhere in its depths. _I guess random fights in the streets are a pretty normal thing around here. I never even heard a damn siren go off!_

"We're… in the middle of the harbor?" Kim made no move to hide how surprised she was, quite easily summing up the feelings for the entire group. However, Shego had already made the next logical leap: there was only one thing standing in the harbor.

"Come out, you cowards!" the emerald woman roared, rather sick of playing little games and not knowing the rules, her fists igniting in a show of her frustration. Unfortunately, this time Shego got _exactly_ what she asked for. Out of nowhere, something, or rather someone, came flying at her. She didn't have time to register anything about this figure except that it had a strange green glow around its hands that mimicked her plasma. _Oh, this could be bad. Very, very bad._ Shego grit her teeth and jumped at the figure. She didn't doubt the strength of her plasma or her fighting skill but she knew that, one, she was very high up, and, two, her opponent could fly. She was certain she could survive a lot of things but being thrown off the top of this tower was not one of them.

They met in the air, Shego's punch caught by the figure rather easily. They hit the ground, the figure landing with as much grace as Shego, and the villainess took quick note of what her attacker looked like. A female this time, a decided improvement over a dude made of concrete, they stood about the same height, though rather than green skin like Shego's, this girl had orange skin, bright green eyes and dark red hair, rather scantily clad in a purple outfit that looked more like a swim suit than anything. Shego threw her another punch, caught too, and growled as their fingers interlaced, plasma building as the emerald skinned woman glared at her orange skinned opponent. She could feel the warmth of whatever power her opponent possessed fighting against her. It was obvious this woman was holding back, that she could easily toss Shego aside like she was nothing, but they stayed locked in a staring contest instead. And, strangely enough, though she tried hard to keep the thought from her mind, only one thing kept playing in her head. _Kim's eyes are _much_ prettier than yours, you copy cat bitch!_

Kim, however, had her hands full already. Nearly the same moment Shego leapt to meet her foe Kim had to defend herself from an entirely different onslaught. From seemingly nowhere, a young man appeared, wielding a metallic bo staff and rather intent on using on her! However, he was nowhere near as fast as Shego and Kim dodged his initial attacks with minimal effort, until finally acting on a back swing from her mystery attacker and grabbed his staff, landing a well timed kick on his exposed chest. With a slight flurry, Kim spun the staff into a comfortable grip, and just grinned as he produced another from one of his pouches, indicating that their battle wasn't over yet. Besides his over gelled black hair and the yellow emblazoned 'R' on his left breast, Kim noticed nothing else. Except the mask that covered his eyes. That was a bit odd. Then again, nothing about this place seemed anywhere near 'normal' so she just accepted it and raised her staff to block the incoming blow. They danced around, matching strike for strike, though Kim was the only one managing to put in body hits. Was he even trying to do the same? She wasn't sure.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!" Ron mumbled to himself, squaring off against his own opponent. She couldn't have been much older than him, though her hood obscured most of her face. He could still see her violet eyes easily. She looked at him like she could see his soul. It was beyond creepy. However, that wasn't the icing on the cake, no, the green naked mole rat perched on her shoulder was definitely the creepiest part. Rufus, knowing when he was being challenged, had taken up his own post on Ron's shoulder, glaring at his green skinned doppelganger with more annoyance (and maybe a bit of curiosity) than Ron had ever seen his pet convey. Returning his focus to the girl, Ron had a fleeting thought of Yori and the amount of hurt she could dish out without so much as breaking a sweat. "I don't know if it's insulting that I'm fighting a girl or an honor."

"The second one. Definitely," came the nearly monotonous reply before the girl stepped forward and extended her arm, her green Rufus wannabe running down the length of it to launch at Rufus. The pink naked mole rat readily accepted the challenge, meeting his twin in the air as Ron gave up hope of trying to understand this new place and charged his own opponent. After a few clumsy punches, which were dodged quite effectively, Ron managed to summon his Tai Sheng Pek Kwar, pressing the girl to actually fight him.

"I get the feeling you're not very good at this," Ron managed somewhat apologetically, before getting a cocky grin. "Maybe it was the first one."

Almost instantly, she returned with a punch of her own, her fist clad in some sort of black energy that sent the sidekick reeling backwards.

"Clearly, I spoke too soon."

"Come on, Blueberry, you gonna fight?" Drakken slapped his forehead with his hand and shook his head. As he was the last to be faced with his opponent, Drakken had already pieced everything together.

"No, I'm not," he almost laughed at the shock and disappointment apparent in the young man's face. Drakken put a hand in the air, counting off his points as he made them. "One, you're half machine, and from the looks of the circuitry I _can_ see, there's, at the very least, a sonic disruptor built into each of your arms, which I cannot fathom competing against in my current state. Two, your entire team is taking it easy on us, either trying to gauge our abilities or test your own, and I see no reason in revealing any more information about myself than absolutely necessary. Three, you were waiting for us, have probably been watching us, and made sure this little display happened away from the public so they wouldn't get the 'wrong idea', I assume. Four, you don't seem too inclined on killing us, so I think it's relatively safe to assume you need our help for something. And, finally, Possible just kicked spiky's ass, making her a much greater threat than me."

The metal man looked over Drakken's shoulder and just stared, wide eyed, as the young man hit the ground, apparently unconscious, the redhead mentioned taking a running start at Ron's foe's turned back. Realizing the little test was over, he quickly bellowed loud enough to echo once across the harbor.

"YELLOW MONKEY PIZZA FOOT!"

Needless to say, everyone froze, staring at the metal man in surprise. As quick as it had happened the first time, the black shadow returned, and the cold along with it, vanishing nearly as quickly as all ten of them found themselves in a large room.

"O-o-okay, can we s-s-stop with the black-ck thingie!" Ron stammered, rubbing his arms in effort to warm up. Shego thought about echoing the sentiment but her last memory was of trying to throw the orange woman against a basketball goal and the need to stay alive dominated her senses.

"I'm sorry, but it is the quickest way to travel," the calm, even reply came from the young woman Ron had been fighting and he just nodded, not wanting to see what else that black magic of hers could do.

"We do apologize for the… seemingly unnecessary fights but we figured it would be the easiest way to introduce ourselves," the black haired young man spoke next, stepping towards Kim, Ron, Shego, and Drakken. Shego took a quick glance around, noting the large common area, a ridiculously huge couch, the adjoining kitchen area, and the multiple video screens. _Yup, definitely a heroes' pad. Great._ The buffoon seemed ready to argue but Kim cut him off.

"You knew what we all did for a living and assumed that the easiest way to come to respect one another would be through a direct confrontation?" Kim had her bright green eyes leveled at the young man, conveying her obvious displeasure with the deception. Shego took the moment to directly compare her eyes to the orange skinned woman. _Yup, Kimmie's are much better._ As if on cue, the orange skinned woman spoke, her voice annoyingly sweet to Shego's ears.

"Please, let us not fight! We wish to be friends!" said young woman stepped forward, putting her hand to her chest. "I am called Starfire. I am honored to meet you, all."

"Starfire?" Shego scoffed, running a hand through her black locks in annoyance. This was going to be one hell of a trip. "Fine, let's get on with the introductions, I'm-"

"Wait," the kid, presumably the leader, spoke again, putting a hand up to stop Shego mid sentence. "There are more of us, and I am sure you'd rather not explain who you are more than once."

"I'm tempted to fry you, gel boy," Shego grumbled, though the look Drakken and Kim shot her, simultaneously, demanded she play nice. _Why, oh why, do I put up with this shit? I don't get paid nearly enough for this…_

"Cyborg?" the young man allowed the threat to slide, looking to the metal man who was busy punching buttons on his forearm.

"Jinx, Commando, and Kid Flash just got back from cleaning up downtown. Terra should be here in a minute, the others will should get here three minutes later. Though KF might take the stairs and get here before Terra."

As if on cue, the doors behind the four teens opened and a, well, yellow blur entered, coming to a stop between Starfire and the young woman covered in a violet cloak. Shego cocked a brow, wondering why strange hero outfits managed to reach across dimensional boundaries.

"Heya! So, we getting started on this, or what?" the young man seemed to take the new arrivals in stride. _Guess 'normal' here is just about anything 'strange' for us._

"No, we'll wait until everyone is here. Keeps things from getting too confusing," the leader replied, a slight edge to his voice. As the young man turned his head to look at his comrade, Shego caught sight of a nice little knot forming on his forehead. She couldn't resist.

"Hey, just because Kimmie kicked you into next week doesn't mean you have to get snippy with your friends, gel boy," stoutly refusing to acknowledge the reproachful glance from Kim, Shego continued, her arms folding across her chest. "Besides, you could tell me your name all day, I'll still call you gel boy. Hell, I still call him 'buffoon'." Shego nodded towards Ron, who glared at her.

"You guys _never _remember my name! We've known each other for _years_ and you _still _can't get my name right!" Ron cried out, turning his back towards Shego and Drakken, scowling at nothing in particular. "At least I still have… Rufus!"

Shego rolled her eyes as the blonde sidekick started to panic, searching frantically for his pet. _The small things get him every time._ Little to her surprise, Rufus turned up, a similar creature standing next to him, though tinted green. In the blink of an eye, the green Rufus morphed into a young man, with forest green skin and eyes, smiling rather stupidly as he let Rufus jump into his hand, then back to his master.

"No sweat, man, we were just talking. He says you're a really good guy," though there was a slightly nasal tinge to his voice, it was preferable to Starfire's boundless cheer. _Ugh, the cheerfulness. God has a wicked sense of humor! But, Hell, I'm bored, might as well get in what I can._

"I'm guessing you're Beastboy?" her voice caught the young man's attention, his pointed ears moving ever so slightly in reaction to his name. Rather than ask her how she knew, he just nodded and smiled. "Some kid thought I was your sister."

"Haha, really?" Shego was expecting something different than the glance he gave her, quickly summing her up from head to toe, then returning to her eyes. "More like half sister. Your skin is paler and your powers are way cool."

"Way cool?" Shego thought about biting back with a snide comment or something, but couldn't think of anything. _The saying 'kill 'em with kindness' is no joke. I hate this place already._ She thought irritably, wondering what other surprises were in store. Speaking of which, the doors opened once more, admitting a young woman with blonde hair, blue eyes and the strangest smirk. _No end to the fun times today._

"Oh, cool, they're here!" she hopped down the stairs and muscled past her friends to stand in front of them. "I watched you two fight Rancid and Cinderblock. You guys redefine awesome!"

It suddenly occurred to Shego that she was directing the comment at both Kim and herself, completely bypassing Drakken and Ron, who were between the two women. Now would be a good time to laugh but, instead, Shego just gave her best impression of a heartfelt smile and allowed Kim to deal with the gushing teen.

"Oh, it was no big, we just make a great team." Shego snapped her gaze around in time to notice the slight widening of those bright green orbs. _She didn't mean to say that. Glad I'm not the only one feeling a little screwy in this new dimension._ "Will your other friends be here soon?"

"Define 'soon' for me, Red," everyone's attention was caught by the last two figures they were expecting, a young woman with gravity defying pink hair, whom had just spoken, and another young woman standing next to her in combat fatigues, though obviously modified. Shego couldn't help but admire the outfit. Standard black boots, though there was a hint of circuitry to them that lent to a less than usual use, standard Army cargo pants, with a distinctly Marine design, leading up to what appeared to be a metal breast plate, complete with pouches and an inverted combat knife, all in the same pattern. She even wore what could only be considered gauntlets, probably with all sorts of nifty gadgets built in, and a soft cap that seemed to reflect better times. Though it showed more skin than Shego would've liked herself (in fact, it was a bit reminiscent of Kim's outfit, seeing as how the woman's midriff was partially exposed), there was a certain badass aspect of walking around with just a little armor and a knife.

"Sorry it took so long, Sir, trying to repair the plasma damage took longer than anticipated," despite the edge, and the 'Sir', something about the woman's voice sounded downright jovial. Her partner, Jinx most likely, simply shrugged her shoulder and joined the rest of the congregation.

"Yeah, Bolts over there did a number on Cinderblock. And the city block, but that's not exactly a bad thing," Jinx threw Shego a smile that seemed to praise her skills. _Right, 'cause I need the approval of a group of teenaged wannabes. When I _was_ a hero I was ten times what these punks are. Hell, Kim's twice what they are, and she doesn't even have powers… again with the random thought trains… who the Hell is conducting! _Shego shook her head, letting some of her frustration show in her voice.

"Can we get on with this? You obviously knew we were coming, but we are just as lost as we were when we first got here. So unless _someone_ starts talking, I'm going to show you what it would feel like to _be Cinderblock_!" her plasma flared to accent her point and died quickly. She was both stunned and impressed that none of those assembled (excluding Ron and Drakken) flinched at the display.

"Well, I'm tough, but not tough enough to withstand _that_ treatment," the fatigued woman stated, stepped forward and snapping a quick salute, giving the group a defiant smirk. "They call me Commando, as I'm sure you've guessed. Currently assigned as a reconnaissance officer and second-in-command to Bravo Team, I am, through and through, a soldier, fighting the freedom and the American way."

"Must you always be so obnoxiously formal, Com?" the purple haired woman sighed, stepping up next to her teammate. "The name's Jinx, mistress of bad luck. And, just so it's out in the open now, I _was_ a bad guy. Now, I'm good… more or less."

"Mostly less," Commando mumbled and was quickly elbowed in the gut, just beneath the breastplate, her smirk growing into a full fledged smile.

"Stop flirting with my girlfriend, Com, or I might have to fight you for her," the yellow clad man said, standing to Jinx's right, being notably cautious as he entered the danger zone of Commando's swing. Shego smirked. _Definitely know who wears the pants in this relationship._ "Anyway, name's Kid Flash. And before _you_ even start," he turned his bluish grey eyes on Shego. "it's because there's already a Flash, and I'm his, I guess you could say, protégé? I can move at super speeds, in case you hadn't figured that one out."

"And thus, you have met the incomplete Bravo Team, just waiting to be turned into our own rightful team: Titans' South," Jinx announced proudly. Commando raised a brow while Kid Flash spoke exactly what was on his mind.

"I thought we agreed the South is too warm?"

"I thought I told you I am _not_ going to freeze my ass off up North?"

"Yeah, but-"

"I don't think this is a conversation for right now. We'll talk about it later." Commando's voice effectively ended the argument, motioning behind them. "Besides, it's Terra's turn."

"What, me?" the blonde girl asked, somewhat incredulous. "B-b-but I'm not really…" When she received affirmation from more than just Commando, she stepped forward, playing with the goggles around her neck. "Uh, okay, I'm Terra, and I used to be able to control the earth an' stuff," she was staring at the ground slightly. "But I, uh, lost my powers, so now I just, ya know, help out around the tower. Kinda? I'm working to get them back though."

"She's an excellent mechanic," Jinx chimed in, smiling at the girl. "And the best Spades partner around!" Terra smiled a little at that, regaining her full height. _Obviously a story behind this blonde. I'll ask later. Maybe._ With that done, the four stepped back and allowed the initial five to take their turn, Starfire, again the first to step forward, had a bright smile on her face.

"Again, friends, I am Starfire of Tamaran." She suddenly leapt up, flying through the air, and embraced Kim and Ron simultaneously. "I have learned, during my time on Earth, that hugs are a good way to show happiness towards friends!" She released the teens and moved on to Drakken and Shego, and while Drakken seemed more than ready to accept the show of affection, Shego stopped the alien in her tracks. "You do not like the hugs?"

"I'm just not a 'touchy-feely' gal, alright?" Shego replied tersely, noting the slight disappointment in those green eyes. Something about that look got to her and she reached out and patted the girl's bare shoulder. "There. That's as good as it gets."

"She's not kidding," Drakken grumbled quietly, pretending to be fixated on something on the other end of the room when Shego turned her scowl on him.

"Right, and, of course, you already know me," Beastboy stepped forward, with a friendly and a thumbs up to Rufus. "Your pal Rufus already told me a lot about you guys. I have the kick ass ability to morph into just about any animal. I say 'just about' because, hey, I haven't seen 'em all yet. But!" Beastboy turned to Kim, a somewhat suave smile on his lips. "Rufus told me you've been a little upset lately? And he also told something that might make you feel better."

In the blink of an eye, where there had been a green skinned young man now stood, a little shorter and still green, a rather strange creature than Shego and Ron were quite familiar with. _I officially hate you, Beastboy. _Despite her internal annoyance with the gesture, it took everything to keep from smiling as Kim jumped for joy, throwing her arms around the green mix between a panda and a kangaroo.

"Pandaroo! Oh my gosh, it's even cuter in person!" Kim squealed like a child, nearly hopping with the real life cuddle buddy in her arms. _Too perfect._

"Hard to believe she's a nineteen-year-old heroine who's saved the world more times than most people take a shower, right?" The comment didn't stop Kim's excitement though it did bring her back to her senses. Once she released him, Beastboy took his normal form, purple leotard and all.

"Anything to make a pretty girl smile-" _Oh, yes, I'm going to kill him._ "-and it was Rufus' idea."

While Kim turned to thank the pet, who was blushing rather furiously (if that's even possible for a naked mole rat), the woman in the cloak stepped forward, letting down her hood to reveal bright violet eyes and matching hair, a rueful smile on her lips.

"Don't mind him; he's a people pleaser," she shot the green man a look Shego couldn't quite read before returning her attention to the group. "My name is Raven, a… psychic, of sorts. I can move things around, including people as you've come to notice, using my mind. I guess it could also be considered witchcraft, if you want to go that far. I… am not good at expressing my emotions, really, so I apologize in advance for the misunderstandings that will happen."

"Trust me, they'll happen. I thought she hated me for a solid three years!" Beastboy chimed in, giving the grey skinned woman a rather affectionate smile. Shego was surprised when all he received was a slight twitching of lips and seemed to take that as a victory. _Stranger and stranger._

"Oh, my turn!" Though he'd already been identified as 'Cyborg', the metal man stepped up and slapped his chest. "Name's Cyborg, you can call me Cy. I was, once upon a time, one helluva athlete, but an accident turned me into the world's baddest talking toaster." Shego couldn't help but crack a smile at that one. "Along with all my awesome inventions, my specialty is bringin' down the house with this!" His right forearm suddenly whirred, revealing a gaping hole where his hand had been with an eerie blue light shining out. "My sonic cannon! Good call Doc, this baby is definitely not something you want to mess with."

"I gathered as much from the appearance but to have actually weaponized a component of your own body," Drakken was scratching his chin, looking slightly stunned. "What else have you managed to build or modify using such compact technology?"

"Oh, well, not to brag or anything, but there's the T-sub, a deep sea explorative submarine which doubles as a deep space spaceship, I also-"

"Hey Cy, think you'll stop having a fangasm any time soon?" Beastboy teased, making sure he was well away from the machine man, in case he took a swing. "Just because you have a nerd to talk to besides Robin doesn't mean you should do it all right now! Save some for the bedroom!"

"The bedroom?" Drakken asked, a bit surprised and confused. Realizing the implication, Cyborg quickly jumped to correct his green friend.

"He means when we show you to your rooms! That's _all_ he meant! I _have_ a girlfriend, thanks!"

"Right, sure, and I'm a purple people eater."

"You've been known to eat a certain purple haired person on occasion," Raven seemed surprised the words had left her mouth but made no attempt to retract the statement. Cyborg instantly hit the ground laughing while Beastboy turned three different shades that Shego instantly knew to be the changeling blushing. "Just sayin'."

"_Moving on!"_ gel boy, or, Shego supposed, Robin, growled out, returning attention to the matter at hand. "I'm Robin, leader of the Teen Titans and Titans' West."

"I'm still calling you 'gel boy'."

"Noted," Robin ground out before sighing and looking to each of them expectantly. When a full minute of silence passed, the boy wonder slapped his forehead and sighed. "And you are?"

"Oh, he wants to know our names! How rude of us!" Shego feigned shock, giving him a rather playful smile. She knew he was going to gauge them at everything they did, so here was her chance. "Hey, Doc, go first."

"What, me?" Drakken shook his head, coughed into his hand, and drew himself to his full height. "Right, well, yes. I am Doctor Drakken, formerly a mad scientist bent on world domination, and, after a certain very terrifying incident concerning some very mean aliens, recently made the transition to world acclaimed genius for my inventions. I have been focusing my research into the medical and technological fields, though I must say, I'm better with technology than medicine."

"That's cool with me," Cyborg piped up, finally over his laughing fit. "Maybe you can help me figure out what's wrong with the subatomic stabilizer I've been working on lately. See, we got this guy-"

"Again, conversation for another time," Commando's voice was so sudden, the tin man nearly jumped before nodding and letting the introductions continue. Shego didn't need to look to know that Drakken probably looked like a kid on Christmas Eve, ready to know exactly what was in that big red box with the green bow. _Typical Doctor D., always looking to fiddle with something dangerous. Glad he has someone else to nearly kill now._ Shego threw the buffoon a look that demanded he be the next to speak.

"Uh, hi, I'm, uh, Ron Stoppable. I don't really have any powers-" Rufus jumped up on his shirt and started chattering quickly, looking a bit annoyed. "-oh! Right, sorry buddy, I forgot. I do have some Mystical Monkey powers, this really ancient kung fu thing, but, heh, it comes and goes." The blonde smiled sheepishly, ruffling his hair as if searching for confidence. "And this, right here, is Rufus, my naked mole rat pet who is, well, pretty awesome. He also does the kung fu thing, and I think he's a little better than me." Ron looked around, as if searching for something else to say. "So, yeah, just call me Ron, heh, I'm with KP." He hiked a thumb towards Kim and Shego smiled. _Ha! Didn't see that coming. Seems I'll win this round._

"Which would be me, by the way. I'm Kimberly Possible, Kim to my friends," Kim smiled her usual, you're-about-to-be-sorry-you-crossed-me smile, and finished with the most arrogant tone Shego's ever heard from the former cheerleader. "And _I_ can do _anything_!"

"Including make Robin look like a toddler," Beastboy chimed in, earning a glare from the fearless leader. Starfire was quick to 'comfort' him though.

"Boyfriend Robin, do not be alarmed! Friend Kim was simply faster than you! I am sure you are not degenerating in age!" Though the words might've elicited a different response, the sweet tone they were spoken in (which nearly made Shego sick) earned her a tired smile from her apparent boyfriend. However, rather than share a sweet, touching moment- _Thank God!_ -Robin turned his masked gaze to Shego.

"Saving the best for last?" he gritted out, picking up on Shego's intent. _So he's not as stupid as he looks. That's not saying much though._ Shego nodded, perching her hands on her hips.

"Name's Shego, the biggest, baddest, most wanted criminal in the world," she frowned. "Well, our world anyway." Her teasing, cocky grin came back almost instantly. "And I expect compensation for doing _your_ job."

"Your compensation will be not falling to your death from being thrown out the window, Shego," Raven's voice betrayed a strain of mirth as well as a deadly seriousness the villainess couldn't help but admire.

"Unless, of course, you'd like to test our patience," Robin added, rather unnecessarily, though Shego knew it was just him jabbing back at her. _Oh, I'll play this game, little boy._

"Test _her_ patience, I think not. Test _yours_? Any day of the week, gel boy," Shego was about to ignite her plasma when a familiar redhead stepped between them.

"Shego, please, let's try not to piss off the only people who can help us," Kim kept her tone equal parts respectful request, logical argument, friendly plea, and authoritative order. _That takes skill. I bet she learned it from her mother. Fuckin' neurosurgeon._ With Shego standing down, Kim turned back to the Titans. "I think you mentioned something about rooms earlier? It's been a long day and we will probably be a lot more… amiable once we've slept some."

"A reasonable request," Robin growled, still throwing Shego challenging glares. "I have some work to do. The others will show you to your respective rooms."

"Way to bail, dude," Beastboy mumbled as Robin exited the room. With a roll of forest green eyes, the green young man offered the group a half smile. "He's been on edge since Raven's dream."

"Raven's dream?" Kim spoke, turning a questioning gaze to the woman in question. Raven merely waved it off.

"Tomorrow. You all need your sleep." And with that, she led the way towards one of the adjoining doors. The three remaining 'Alpha Team' members followed suit, with Commando tagging along, giving the excuse that she 'didn't want to hear those two arguing again' though Shego suspected otherwise. _She is an intelligence officer, after all. She's probably doing some sort of recon. Best to stay on my guard, just in case._

The first room they came to was Drakken's which, once the door opened, cleared up the comment made earlier. _Nerdlinger would be in paradise here._ Shego couldn't help but think. (She'd come to know the techno genius a little better in setting up the surprise party but she refused to refer to him as 'Wade' no matter how many times he asked.) There were plenty of gadgets and toys for Drakken to fawn over while Cyborg explained them, then answered questions as to their use or design or some such nonsense. The group left the two with their toys and stopped next at Ron's room. Beastboy instantly took credit for the décor, which was heavy with posters of video games, not to mention a console or two, and a cordoned off area for Rufus, all the while sporting calming earth tones. Before long, they were wrapped up in video games and such talk, mindless drabble that Shego didn't care to hear.

"So, which floor is ours?" Shego asked as the door to Ron's new room whooshed closed. Starfire, Raven, and Commando all gave her a questioning look, to which she replied simply.

"I used to live in a tower like this. My brothers had their floor and I had one to myself, as the only chick. I assume it's the same here?"

"Of course. Didn't realize we had a veteran." Raven replied coolly, a slight smirk in her voice. Shego wanted to snap at that comment but couldn't figure out how. _It annoys me how much I'm starting to like her._

When they did reach the next floor up, the five came to Kim's room first. As soon as the door opened, Shego was terrified of what her room might look like. The walls were pink and bright, accented by lime green and yellow, with little happy faces here and there. Needless to say, the former cheerleader loved it.

"This kinda reminds me of home," she said, a touch of sadness in her tone. Starfire didn't seem to register it though.

"Then you like it, friend Kim? We can make adjustments to it at your will!" the alien supplied, floating about six inches off the ground. Kim, ever the polite person she was, began talking about what could be changed. Most of it sounded like Kim was going to go less kiddy and more, well, mature, as far as decorating went. _Good; I wouldn't be able to take a step in there as is._ Shego blinked a few times. _And I want to go in there because…? Stupid Doctor D.! I blame him for putting these thoughts in my head!_ Shego scowled and mentally punched the thought train aside.

"If it's any consolation, I didn't let Starfire anywhere near your room," Raven's calm tone barely hid her mirth as she started off. Shego suddenly became aware that it was just the two of them, Commando having disappeared somewhere between entering Kim's room and them leaving. Another thought, tinged with jealousy and anger, fought to make itself heard but Shego squashed it before it had the chance.

"What're you so happy about?" Shego demanded as they proceeded down the hall. Raven shrugged as they stopped outside a door that looked just like every other one before it.

"I guess I'm excited to see what you think." _Not only is she bad at conveying emotion, she's a terrible liar. Whatever, not like I give a damn anyway. _Shego was glad she didn't attempt to insult the woman as her door slid open. Her room was much darker than Kim's but not so much so that it was depressing. Edgy, green tinted art adorned the walls and the bed, which Shego noticed with raised brow appeared to be queen sized, had emerald sheets with black pillows. Everything was tinged green or black while looking sharp and sleek, from the bed to the TV and computer in the far corner. It looked modern, focused, and defiant. _Okay, this is scary. This is almost perfect._ Raven must've read her mind. "You seemed more of a… cutting edge person. Changes can be made, of course; our budget is ridiculous."

"I see. How did you know?" Shego asked directly, stepping into her new domain and watching the younger woman with a slight mistrust. Raven merely smiled.

"Let's just say a little birdie told me. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Get some sleep. You'll need it."

As the door closed, Shego couldn't help but feel a slight anger building within her. Jumping onto her new bed, she stared at the ceiling, which, oddly enough, held a bizarre abstract design of its own that seemed to soothe her even as it ticked her off that someone should know her so well. _There's something they aren't telling us, something they know. They knew we were coming. They knew we weren't normal. They knew too much and, yet, too little. _Shego growled in frustration. She didn't like this, not one bit.

"Tomorrow, I'm getting my answers. Whether that's with or without a massive amount of pain is up to them." Shego suddenly growled, sitting up in the bed. "AND THEY OWE ME PIZZA, DAMNIT!"

_Continued in Chapter 3: Earn Your Keep (Or Tell Me He's Kidding!)_

Author's Note: Chapter 2 is over, but not quite. Honestly, I had more planned for this chapter, but it was just didn't fit in with everything I knew _had_ to be here, so it'll be pushed off for 'tomorrow', so to speak. Next chapter is in the works, just depends on how much time I have over the weekend on when it will get posted.

Side note: Commando is a random OC I created for this fic. Her back story will be explained in later chapters but, just to lay it bare, she's a nod to the _Halo_ games' Spartan II's. The breastplate mentioned is based on the CQB Body from _Halo 3_. I'm not saying she is from _Halo, _I'm just explaining where I got the idea for her character.

Questions, Comments, Concerns - Review. It is appreciated.

Note to the haters: Yes, Terra has returned, and the full details will be explained in the next chapter as part of what I couldn't fit into this one. Don't like her? Leave a flame. I'm cold anyway. *brr*


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Quite unsurprisingly, I still do not own Teen Titans or Kim Possible. Though, if anyone was looking to get me a belated, or early, birthday present, HINT HINT!

Chapter 3: Earn You Keep (or Tell Me He's Kidding!)

"Wait, you're a vegetarian?" Ron asked, somewhat dubiously. "You can turn into tigers and stuff! How can you not like meat?"

"Uh, hello! Because I can _be_ that meat! You'd understand if you could turn into a dog and ran around Seoul for an hour," Beastboy replied, eating his tofu proudly. Kim just smiled. Although it had taken her a while to get some sleep, it had helped tremendously. Not to mention the delicious breakfast. _Good food never hurts. I'm surprised there's so much though._ Kim looked around the table, still trying to comprehend how all of it would be consumed. There were plates of pancakes, eggs, bacon, some cereals, plus milk and orange juice, not to mention vegetarian alternatives for Beastboy and some hot tea for Raven. There was also a jar of mustard present, which Starfire was drinking like it was an ice cold Coke. Although it caught the redhead's eye, she said nothing of it. _Probably a Tam-, uh, Starfire thing._ "Besides, Rufus digs the tofu bacon!"

"He also digs nacos, just so we're clear," Ron replied, eyeing his beloved pet warily. Kim just rolled her eyes with a chuckle. While it didn't surprise her that Rufus had taken an instant liking to Beastboy, and the rest of the Titans for that matter, she couldn't help but laugh at Ron's slight jealousy.

"I'm still waiting for that explanation you promise, Raven," Shego's voice cut across the other conversations, catching the young woman's attention. She was sitting next to Beastboy, reading the newspaper with a cup of tea in the other hand, smiling at Shego over the rim of her cup.

"Impatient, aren't we," she replied evenly, irking Shego. Kim was a little annoyed too, though for an entirely different reason. One she wasn't quite sure she understood. _How come Shego calls her by _her_ real name and not me? Not once has she ever called me 'Kim', always something else! What's so special about Raven?_ "Robin, we should tell them. It's not like we have much to tell."

"I don't think it's proper breakfast conversation but you have a point," the young man spoke around a bite of toast. When he swallowed, he looked between the four newest additions to the Tower. Rufus made an indignant chirp and he included him in his sweeping gaze. "Maybe they have the final pieces to the puzzle anyway."

"I sincerely doubt that," Raven replied almost instantly, her gaze settling on Kim a moment before she started. "A few weeks ago, I had this dream. A, I suppose you could say, side effect of my heritage is the knack for visions of the future. Well, this one… it takes the cake."

"Oh? This sounds like I don't really want to hear it," Drakken mumbled as he drank some delicious cocoa moo.

"Trust me, I wouldn't tell you if it didn't directly involve you," Raven moved those violet eyes to the blue skinned scientist, who faltered under her gaze. "Anyway, to explain it, we must first explain our… extended vacation. Cyborg, your memory files are best suited for this part."

"Lucky me," the metal man wiped syrup from his mouth, a grim expression set on his usually jovial face. "Couple years ago, we got on the bad side of some really evil dudes, dudes that were a little out of our league. Officially, they were enemies solely concerned with Beastboy's former team, the Doom Patrol."

"Jeez, you guys and the names," Shego rolled her eyes, displaying her lack of interest in the tale by pretending to examine her nails, which she probably couldn't do on account of the gloves she still wore. _Note to self: we need to go shopping for some new clothes. We can't very well wear one outfit the entire time we're here!_ "With a name like 'the Doom Patrol' it's a wonder they even survived their first fight!"

"Name's not important," Beastboy took a harsh edge, defending his former comrades while trying to keep things civil. _I wonder what he looks like when he's really mad. Does he, like, turn into a bull? Question for later I suppose. _Kim kept entertaining random thoughts to keep them averted from Shego. The green villainess was the real reason the teen heroine had trouble falling asleep the night before. Something about her attitude the day prior had Kim… distracted. And not the good kind of distraction either. "What is important is what the Brotherhood of Evil did."

"Oh, _that's_ original," Shego laughed, raising a brow. "Was 'Big Bad Bullies' already taken?"

"Shego, we're never going to get to the bottom of this if you keep interrupting them," Kim suddenly snapped, her bright green eyes falling on the object of her vexation, whose expression fell at the outburst. Instantly she felt guilty, softening her tone. "Please, Shego, let them finish their story. I promise you can taunt them later."

_What the Hell did I just say?_ Kim thought as she got strange looks from Drakken, Ron and Rufus, though the naked mole rat seemed more approving than the other two. The rest of the Titans just seemed to glance at each other, as if they were silently placing bets, on what Kim couldn't even begin to guess. Finally, her gaze landed on Shego, who seemed more stunned than anything else. Of course, she quickly recovered.

"Fine. That's two you owe me, Princess," there was some sort of strange tint to her tone, something suspiciously… seductive. _It's in my head, gotta be, no way she would… I mean… Damnit!_ "Continue, Tin Man."

"Uh, thanks?" Cyborg's organic eye displayed the confusion his robotic one couldn't though it dissipated quickly. "Anyway, these guys, the Brotherhood, pulled together the resources from every enemy we ever faced, and I think even a few we'd never met. Then, they systematically hunted us down and picked us off, bringing us to a master chamber where they planned to freeze every young hero on the planet. Most of us were already frozen by the time the remaining Titans figured out what was happening. Thanks to Beastboy's quick thinking and the help of the few heroes who managed to win their battles, we were freed from our frozen prison and, in turn, froze every villain present." Cyborg averted his gaze down, his tone becoming solemn as he proceeded. "We thought we'd managed to do the unthinkable: stop every villain on the planet. We thought we'd saved the world. They were just locked up in that room, frozen, maybe forever… but we weren't that lucky. Fifteen months after returning to Jump City, we got word that the sentries posted weren't responding. When Titans' East arrived to check it out…"

"It was bad," Robin continued, his entire countenance changing to one of sorrow. She didn't need to know the young man well to read the guilt obvious on his face and in his tone. _I would probably feel the same way. Compassion, responsibility, guilt. It can be a cruel curse. Sometimes I wish I was like Shego, immune to the world's problems._ "Wildebeest and Pantha were on guard when it happened. Wildebeest was killed during the attack while Pantha is still lying in the ICU at Titans' East. Of our frozen foes, most were set free… but some weren't."

"They were shattered," Beastboy picked up next, a slight growl to his tone. There was a tint of guilt within him too, Kim noticed, though he seemed to be handling it better than Robin. "The really bad ones were shattered, the four who originally made up the Brotherhood. The Brain, Monsieur Mallah, Madame Rouge, and General Immortus. Killed."

"We searched for a half a year, trying to find those who were set free and find out who released them," Starfire chimed in, her tone far more somber than usual. "They may have been evil, but they didn't deserve to be killed. Yet, with each person we found, they could not remember anything. Most woke up in or around their lairs, completely unaware of recent events."

"Which is why you met Johnny Rancid and Cinderblock in the first place," Raven rounded out, the other Titans keeping silent through the telling. Either because they were 'junior' members of the order or because they were hearing the entire story for the first time themselves, it was tough to say. Kim saw Jinx refill her orange juice and couldn't help the stray thought fleeting through her mind. _If she turned good, I'm sure Shego could do it too. She wouldn't have to change her attitude, just tone it down a bit. I know she's got it in her._ "Whoever released them is plotting something big. And that, finally, brings us to my dream… my vision.

"I saw Jump City as it is now, a brief flash, and then it morphed into a twisted version, burning out of control and nearly destroyed, the screams of citizens filling the air like the dark smoke. I saw many of the Titans around the city, fighting familiar faces, and some new ones, but winning, obviously winning.

"Then I saw her. I can't tell you what she looked like. I can't tell you anything about her except that I know it was a female and I know she meant bad news. She was like a plague or a vulture. Swooping in on battles, and when she flew away, our friends were…" For the first time since knowing the young woman, Kim noticed those violet eyes darken with uncertainty. Whatever it was, Raven didn't want to say it, which meant only one thing.

"They were dead." Kim looked to Shego as they spoke in unison. When the villainess met her gaze, those shimmering emerald orbs held a compassion the redhead had always thought her rival never possessed. _I guess she's just better at hiding her emotions than I thought. That's something I need to learn. Wonder if she could teach me._ She was brought back to reality when Raven cleared her throat.

"Y-yes, they were. I watched as she fell upon us, taking us out without any effort. Then, it came down to the final fight, where only a handful of us remained. I thought we were doomed, completely at the mercy of whatever this woman wanted. Just as she was ready to land the blow that would surely destroy us, more joined the fight," her eyes moved between Drakken, Ron and Kim. "I saw flashes of these figures. Little pieces. A man in blue surrounded by computers. A blonde boy with a small pink pet typing furiously on a computer. A redheaded woman falling through the air. The flashes were over and the three figures were pressing the woman back. She was nearly gone when something happened. She lashed out and more of us fell. Only the redhead remained standing. She charged the woman, a last, mad dash, and something strange happened. A bright flash and the city fell away. The next thing I saw was the bay at sunrise, from the top of the tower. Our fallen friends were alive and standing next to us, though everyone appeared worse for wear. I remember not seeing one face among us though I'm not entirely certain who I just remember the thought that someone was missing. And the three figures were gone. Someone, Starfire, spoke of our 'friends from Middleton' and Robin just nodded. 'They'll always be Titans,' he'd said, and we looked into the sunrise. After that, I woke up."

"I hate it when I'm right," Drakken grumbled, biting into a donut, though from where he'd procured it, Kim wasn't entirely sure. Her mind was focused on this 'vision' of Raven's. '_Only the redhead remained standing'? Are the others going to die here? Am I?_ She knew the thought should've been more alarming but it wasn't. The ending Raven mentioned, that those dead would be alive, seemed to temper the fear in her heart. It just wasn't in Kim Possible to be selfish, to cherish her own life above others'. It was one of the few things the Possible _couldn't _do.

"That obviously can't happen," Shego's tone was firm, unwavering, a fierce glow in her eyes. "Kimmie can't die. Nothing can kill her. She can do anything. She _won't_ die."

"Oh?" Raven raised a brow, surprisingly calm considering the death sentence she'd just pronounced for the new arrivals. "By whose authority?"

"Mine," Shego grated out, the heat from her plasma washing over the entire table. Some flinched, like Drakken and Ron, while others seemed set on edge, like Robin and Kid Flash, but most everyone else just let it slide, convinced they weren't in any danger. Kim, honestly, was touched by the sentiment, though she didn't quite understand why the woman would be so overly protective. Then she remembered: _"We have a better chance of getting back with nerdlinger's help, so keeping you alive is in my best interest."_ _That's right; she needs me alive. Nothing else._ The thought seemed to deflate the young woman but she tried not to let it show. Ron effectively brought everyone's attention back though.

"Well, that's all good, but what about Shego? You didn't mention her throughout your 'vision' and yet you were prepared for her arrival as well. That also doesn't exactly explain everything, like how you knew when we got here or our fighting ability. How did you even know we'd be around when that Rancid guy and Cinder-whatever showed up?" the blonde glared down at his plate. "I don't like the sound of this either, Drakken."

"Thank you, Reginald."

"It's RON! R-O-N! DAMNIT!" Ron shouted before banging his head once against the table for good measure. "It's not that difficult, you jackass."

"Someone's touchy today," Shego teased, her typical smirk appearing on those full, painted black lips. "Yet, the buffoon brings up an excellent point. How did you know about me?"

"Right, here's where it gets freaky," Raven replied, refilling her cup in the process. _Right, because it wasn't freaky at all when you started telling us this! I can see why Shego likes her; they have the same twisted humor!_ Kim unintentionally glared at Raven as she thought that and though the Titan noticed, she said nothing of it. Instead, she turned to look at Beastboy. "You're up, Gar."

"Oh, joy," the green teen's voice was dripping with sarcasm, causing a slight smirk from his violet haired friend. _Huh, maybe they are a couple? Probably should ask that before I beat her face in… wait… why would I want to hurt Raven? She hasn't done anything to me… nothing intentional, anyway. What the Hell is wrong with me?_ "Okay, so, because Raven has issues with her emotions, she has this portal mirror thing to enter her own mind and converse with them. Well, we figured that, if one of us could enter her mind while she was dreaming, we could see a little bit more than her unconscious self."

"That would mean you had this dream more than once," Kim stated, receiving a nod from Raven. "Was it the same each time?"

"Yes, and no," Raven sighed, setting down her cup. "Most of the images were the same, but sometimes people were in different places or positions. The more I had the dream, the more it felt like a regular dream. I never had it like I did that first night; that's how I know, for certain, the first one was a vision. It didn't repeat when we were ready for it."

"Raven started getting little flashes as time wore on, lingering imagines while conscious of what is to come. I could barely access these flashes through Nevermore and it was always blurry," Beastboy nodded towards the emerald woman. "Once, I did see Shego, but I thought she was Blackfire."

"Blackfire? Lemme guess, the powder puff's sister?" Shego hiked her thumb towards Starfire, who looked mildly confused. She leaned over to Jinx and quietly questioned what a 'powder puff' was and earned a smirk from her fellow Titan. "Okay, so I'm there and I get killed. That it?"

"I thought you were supposed to let us finish?" Beastboy cut in, though the slightly playful smirk on his lips indicated he wasn't too concerned about it. "It took several trips to Nevermore, which is Raven's mind realmy-thingie, by the way, before we managed to piece together enough about the coming battle. Trust me when I say it was more of a chore than it sounds. I swear Happy tackled me seven times every time I went in there!" Beastboy waved his arms, imitating being tackled and conveniently landing in Raven's lap, smirking up at her. "Although, I have to say, it was one of the perks to the job."

"Glad you thought so," Raven gave what passed for a laugh before standing up, unceremoniously dumping the changling to the ground. _That probably hurt._

"You're one wicked woman, Rae," Beastboy teased from the floor. She only shrugged.

"I've been called worse."

"We called on other Titans with powers similar to Raven's for assistance," Robin provided, massaging his temple as if the memory brought him some pain. "It was difficult, to say the least, but we were able to glean enough information about you four, er, five to put together your rooms and the test. Quite honestly, we had no idea when you'd be arriving. The fight with Rancid and Cinderblock was completely by chance." The boy wonder sighed and looked up, scanning the table, almost like he was waiting for something. "Now that you know what we know, it's time we got down to the real business," Robin abruptly stated, standing up in the process. "As you will be fighting with us in the near or possibly distant future-"

"Wait, you don't know when this is coming? How far into the future do you have these visions?" Shego seemed slightly less annoyed than earlier. Slightly.

"Oh, it can be anywhere from two or three days prior to an hour to, well… ten or so years."

"When it's coming doesn't matter," Robin effectively cut in, glaring slightly at Shego. Well, Kim assumed it was a glare, the mask made it hard to tell. "What matters is that you start training. The only way to do that is to become an Honorary Titan, until you've managed to prove yourself in the obstacle course. After that, you'll become Titans, and by then we should be ready to meet this threat head on."

Robin accented his point by pounding his fist into the palm of his other hand, a determined look in his eyes that meant he would not be swayed. Before the words even left her mouth, Kim knew what Shego was about to say. _The battle of wills would be fun to watch. I think I'll sit out this round. _Kim smirked, leaning back in her chair as Shego sprang up, her face contorted in indignation.

"_Excuse me!_ I am _not_ going hero just to save your asses! I am good at what I do, and _being_ good IS NOT one of them! Have I made myself clear?" Arms folded over her chest, emerald orbs ablaze with intensity, Shego looked ready to fight the Titan leader, and beat him until he cried. There was no stopping the smile spreading on Kim's lips. Considering the death sentence Raven placed on the redhead and the conviction with which Shego vowed it wouldn't come to pass, all worry lifted from her shoulders. Death himself wouldn't come within five miles of the green skinned beauty, of this Kim was certain.

"You _will_ act according to the guidelines followed by _everyone else_ in the Tower, Shego. If you plan on staying here, you will help protect the city, and with your skills, that shouldn't be a difficult request!" Robin leaned forward, bracing himself on the table, a near snarl on his lips. _This is getting good._

"Look, gel boy, there is _no_ way, _no_ how you are going to get me to play the good guy! It _will not_ happen! _No one_ can get me to play the stupid hero role, ever!" _That sounds like a challenge to me… should I?_ "If that's what it takes to stay here, I'm out. I'll live in a cardboard box!"

"Shego, wait!" Kim leapt to her feet, stunning herself by the immediate reaction. Her rival turned to her, anger still blazing, though it noticeably softened when her gaze settled on the redhead.

"What, Princess?" _I've only got one shot at this._

"Shego, please, don't go. I know you don't like being the hero but it will just be for a little while, in a world where no one knows you! It won't get back to our world. We'll never mention it again, once we get back. But right here, right now, they need our help. We can't just turn our back on them!" Kim was using her best pleading skills, ignoring how the entire room had centered on them, the meal coming to a screeching halt. "Please, Shego, I'm asking as a friend. Please, don't go."

"And who said we are friends?" While the comment was what she'd expected, the redhead was taken aback by the tone. It sounded almost as if Shego hadn't wanted to say the words… like she didn't want to be her usual rude self. _Either I'm better at this than I thought or… No Kim, there is no 'or' no matter how much you want there to be… Wait, what?_ Kim forced the thoughts from her mind. She'd attend to the stray thoughts later. Right now, she had to convince her once deadly nemesis to be a good girl, for just a little while. "You know I don't do this."

"I do. But could you do it for me?" Kim wasn't sure where that last comment came from but she quickly resorted to her last trick, the game winner, her puppy dog pout. Whatever Shego's reaction had been to her comment was completely overshadowed by recognizing the redhead's ultimate weapon.

"Oh God, not that! Stupid! Grah!" those emerald orbs were shielded by her forearm, but it was far too late. From years of use, Kim already knew that her target had seen enough for the look to work its magic. Finally, with a stomp of her foot and a cry of frustration, Shego gave in to the redhead's plea. "Alright, FINE! I'll be a goody-goody for a little while. But know right the Hell now that I refuse to do chores around this nightmare and I absolutely, one hundred percent, _will not_ do any posing for pictures with the Mayor."

"I get the feeling you've done this before," Robin scratched behind his head, slightly stunned from the exchange.

"Ancient history, I'm not talking about it, if you need me, I'm in my room," Shego turned to storm away, throwing a well cultivated glare Kim's way. "And that's three, so long as we're keeping count."

"Not so fast, Shego!" Robin called out, freezing the woman in her tracks. She turned around with an obvious snarl. "We still need to establish your alter egos. What's your hero name going to be?"

"Shego."

"I thought that was your real name."

"It's the only one I go by."

"You need something we can call you outside of work."

"Outside of work?" Shego stared at the young man, perching her hands on her hips. It was strange how much fun Kim was having just watching her former arch enemy trounce someone else for once. Although it was only a verbal battle, it was still fun. "Uh, he-llo! I have green skin. While it might not be strange, present company included, there's no reason for me to have an 'alias' as I have no way to change my appearance! Doy! Sometimes, you remind me of Hego, I swear."

"Who?"

"Not important."

"Damnit, you're difficult. Cyborg," Robin turned to the metal teen. "Show her."

"Alright! This is what I was talking about, Drew," Cyborg smiled as he pulled a small, innocent looking ring from one of his compartments. _Hmmm, that must be pretty convenient. Though, he probably doesn't think so. When did he and Drakken get on first name basis anyway? Wade will be so jealous he missed all this when we get back._ Slipping the device onto the middle finger of his right hand, Cyborg activated it with a surprisingly gentle touch and, in the blink of an eye, rather than a half man, half machine, there stood a handsome African American man with two coal black eyes and no hint of circuitry anywhere. He was even wearing a plain black T-shirt and pair of loose fitting jeans. "This, ladies and gentlemen, is the holo-ring. It generates a preprogrammed image that, so long as the ring remains intact and you stay away from water, completely alters your physical appearance." He crossed his arms triumphantly over his chest, a cocky smile directed at Shego. "You'll be able to walk around like anyone else. No green skin. I can even change your hair and eye color, if you want. You can be a woman of your own design."

_That got her._ Kim kept from pointing out how Shego's jaw was hanging open, shock and hope mixed into her expression. While the redhead would never go as far as to call Shego 'vain', it wasn't too much of a stretch to state that the woman took pride in her appearance. Plus, it didn't hurt that the promise of being 'normal' intrigued someone who hadn't been so for more than ten years. The emerald beauty managed to regain her composure, returning to her seat at the table.

"Well, how long until you can whip one up?" there was no hiding the hope in her voice. It was a strange sight yet one Kim probably would never forget: the mighty Shego reduced to a child with a near impossible wish on the verge of it coming true. _Gotta enjoy the little things._

"It may take a week, and I'll need Drew's help with the program for your hair, but just tell me what you want and I'll have it ready!" Cyborg removed the ring, returning to his former self and retaking his seat. "Although, that means you will have to give us a name."

"What? Oh, right…" Shego lost that look of hopefulness, replaced with one of measured scrutiny. Kim almost wanted to kick the metal man. _Jerk. I shoulda gotten a picture!_ "Can I wait to make that decision until it's made? It's just that I haven't gone by my given name in years and it's… a touchy subject, to say the least."

Robin was about to snap something when Starfire placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. The young man instantly relaxed, passing a hand over his face.

"We are asking a tremendous amount from you, Shego. The least we can do is help make this as painless as possible," he seemed to force the words out, almost as if he didn't want to be saying it. He paused a moment before drawing to his full height. "I'm not going to lie. You being a villain is one thing, but being so… proud of it… I don't know about your world, but ours… Here, villains don't care for the lives of others. They have no respect for innocents."

"I know where you're going and, to set the record straight, you can rest easy. I steal things but I have never killed anyone," Shego looked sad a moment before putting her hands in the air, in mock surrender. "I am an evil, terrible, despicable bitch, but I wouldn't kill anyone unless it became absolutely necessary."

"That," Robin sighed, noticeably relaxing, "that makes things far easier. Thank you."

"No sweat," that sexy smirk. "Gel boy."

"Heh, you know, I'm starting to like it. Might help me get a sponsorship," he replied, then turned his attention to the others. "Doctor Drakken? I assume your real name is Drew?"

"Yes, you can call me Drew outside of work, few people refer to me by that name, but I suppose it can't hurt," he smiled, then scratched his chin. "Though, if I am to be a true hero, I'd rather not be known as Dr. Drakken. It just doesn't have the same ring in that sense."

"Okay, we can figure something out. Team?" Robin looked to the other Titans for suggestions. Kid Flash was the first to speak.

"How about 'The Great Blue', has a nice ring to-"

"NO!" Five voices (Rufus included) resounded at once, each portraying a slight shock at the name. Everyone else seemed taken aback by the outburst.

"I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and guess that's a bad thing?" Jinx offered, receiving rather vehement nods from the five in question. "Sounds like there's a good story behind that. Another time?"

"Sure, another time, it's a long story anyway," Drakken ceded, thinking a moment before speaking. "You know, I've been a 'Doctor' for so many years, it's hard to drop the prefix."

"Well, how about we just call you 'Doc' then?" Commando offered, still munching on some strips of bacon. "I think 'Doc' tends to have a slightly more positive connotation than 'Doctor' if you know what I mean."

"You know, I like that," Drakken smiled, leaning back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. "Call me Doc."

"Alright, Doc, we'll work on getting you some more gadgets," Robin noticed the loud throat clearing from Cyborg and amended his statement. "Alright, so Cy will be the one doing the real work, you know what I meant."

"Still, give credit where it's due, man."

"Oh, it's my turn right?" Ron, suddenly excited, bounced a little in his chair. "What can I go by?"

"Buffoon!"

"Reginald?"

"I hate both of you," Ron shot a glare at Shego and Drakken in turn, crossing his arms and grumbling to himself once more.

"There's always 'Pantless Guy' as a back-up," Shego offered, raising her brows. "Oh! What about Monkey Boy!"

"NO!" Ron yelled, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"Wait, why does the monkey thing ring a bell?" Beastboy suddenly said, looking to the ceiling as if it held the answer. He snapped, looking back to the blonde teen with a triumphant grin. "That's right! You have Mystical Monkey powers, right?"

"Yeah, Tai Sheng Pek Kwar, an ancient form of monkey kung fu," Ron quickly explained, slightly confused. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"We could call you Triple M! For Mystical Monkey Man! That way, you're mysterious," Beastboy leaned towards him, lowering his voice slightly. "Chicks dig mysterious, dude."

"I kinda like Triple M," Terra suddenly piped up, tucking a few blonde locks behind her ear as a furious blush rose on her cheeks. "You know, sounds cool, like someone who's so bad, no one even wants to utter his full name."

"Well, he is _bad_ alright," Shego chimed in, rolling her eyes. Ron glared at the villainess (well, temporarily reformed villainess) before giving Terra a smile.

"You know what, Terra, I think you're right! Maybe with a little training, I can control the power better," Ron looked at his hands, one of which was taken by Raven, who had walked around behind him.

"Reaching inside to unlock something is my specialty. Beastboy's pretty good at it too. We'll help. You'll be a master in no time."

"So that just leaves you, Kim," Robin's voice sounded borderline happy, a tone she'd yet to hear from the young man. With a slight blush as she realized the entire room was looking at her, Kim stumbled over her words.

"Wha- me? I dunno, I mean, I've always been Kim Possible, I don't really-"

"How about Princess?" Shego offered, feigning disinterest. "Or Pumpkin."

"There's the old stand-by: KP."

"As much as I always hate to admit it, she could be called 'All That' because, well, she _is_ all that."

"Uh, I don't think any of those will fly," Kid Flash shook his head. "We could call her 'The Cheer Leader'!"

"That's a lame name," Jinx nudged his ribs with her elbow. "I like Red."

"Hmmm, Pumpkin or Red, same difference, right?" Shego shook her head. "Princess is the best so far."

"What does Kim have to say about this?" Commando grabbed more food from the dwindling supplies. _Man that woman can eat!_

"Uh, well," Kim ran a hand through her hair and focused hard on the issue. If she wasn't Kim Possible, who could she be? _Here, their names are come from what their powers do. I just save the world, really. I go on adventures and have fun doing it. What about back home? DNAmy, Shego, Camile, do I have any other female enemies? That's it!_ "I got it!" She stood, striking the same pose as the night before when she introduced herself. "You can call me Adrena Lynn, and I can _still_ do anything!"

"Really, Princess? Adrena Lynn? There wasn't a better name you could use?" Shego didn't hide the slight venom in her tone well, something that sounded eerily enough like jealousy. _Can't pass this up!_

"It's not my fault 'Shego' has already been taken," Kim replied sweetly, even adding a coy smile as she spoke. Needless to say, Ron and Drakken both started choking on their drinks while Commando, Beastboy, Jinx and Cyborg fought hard to keep from laughing out loud. Shego initially looked surprised but it was quickly replaced with her usual taunting smile.

"Touché, Princess. Guess this means you only owe me twice?"

"Think again, Shego. Score stands at three to one," the redhead proudly stated, deciding she was done with breakfast and taking her plate and glass to the sink.

"I don't like the idea of owing you anything, Princess," Shego followed suit, having officially been done with breakfast about fifteen minutes ago.

"You don't have to like it," Kim tried her best to retain a haughty, teasing tone. "You just have to deal with it."

"Kimmie, one of these days, I'm going to-" Shego abruptly cut herself off, placed her dishes in the sink, and walked towards the door leading back to their quarters. _Now that's odd._

"Going to… what, Shego?" Kim questioned from the kitchen area, completely forgetting their audience, who all had their attention focused on the pair. The emerald beauty turned around, throwing Kim one last teasing smirk before slipping out of the room.

"You'll find out when I called in these favors, Princess."

Silence filled the air after the doors shut, Shego's words still buzzing around in Kim's head. _Why did that sound so… alluring? She's been acting… different since we got here. Hasn't she? Or maybe…_ The redhead shook her head vigorously, resolving to figure out what was going on between herself and Shego later. Much later. _Like next year, maybe._

"Minute's over. Cough it up," Commando's cocky tone cut through Kim's mental battle, eliciting a chorus of groans from the assembled Titans. Robin, Starfire, and Terra seemed unaffected by whatever bet had been placed while their comrades all pulled bills from random places on their uniforms. The money accumulated in the center of the table, counted out by Robin, and split equally between Jinx, Raven, and Commando. Kim looked between Drakken and Ron, hoping one of them had a clue, but there was no answer awaiting her.

"Okay, I'll ask, what was it?" Ron suddenly cried out, reigning in his volume by the end of the outburst. "I mean, seriously, what was the bet?"

"That's classified, for now," Robin saved his fellow Titans from answering, earning a collective sigh of relief from the group. With his leader's tone and the faintest appearances of a smile, the young man made it quite clear that further discussion of the topic was prohibited. He didn't really need to add in the slight threat though as neither Ron or Drakken would dare challenge him. _I'll just ask one of the others. I'm sure I can get someone to spill the beans._

"Very well, we'll drop that for now, but shouldn't we know your names for outside work? It's very rude of you to demand names of us and not return the favor," Drakken fixed himself another cup of cocoa moo and sipped happily before continuing. "I mean, had you introduced yourself, it might have kept Shego from losing her cool like that."

Kim took up a position leaning on the counter, watching the other Titans rise to put their plates in the sink. She didn't feel like returning to the table just yet. Robin nodded, and scratched his head, looking somewhat apologetic.

"You have a good point, Doc," he then looked up, checking to see who wanted to go first. To no one's surprise, Starfire introduced herself first, giving them the option to call her either Koriand'r or Kori. _Definitely going with Kori._ The introduction proceeded in much the same as the night before, each Titan giving their name with or without an accompanying nickname. Beastboy was Garfield Logan, or Gar for short, and even went by BB when in uniform. Cyborg was Victor Stone, or Vic, or Cy, and he even admitted he kinda liked the Tin Man nickname Shego had dubbed him.

"I just mean that I can relate to his story, okay? Neither of us asked to be what we are and it took a bit of a journey to really understand that there's nothing wrong with us," Cyborg was blushing slightly, as if he wasn't too proud of admitting that _The Wizard of Oz_ was one of his favorite movies. Kim thought it was cute. Rachel Roth was Raven's given name (or chosen name, Kim wasn't sure which), though she preferred Rae, a suitable nickname for both on duty and off. Then of course, last again, was Robin, who pleaded that they keep his real name, Richard Grayson, from Shego as long as possible.

"Because of the Dick jokes?" Kim offered when both Ron and Drakken seemed unable to grasp his apprehension. The young man in question sighed.

"Yes, because of the Dick jokes. I should just go by John and save myself this headache." As he proceeded to grumble to himself, the rest of the Titans introduced themselves. Jinx said she simply went by Lucky or Hope, depending on which holo-ring she decided to wear. _The ability to custom fit one's name to one's persona and vice versa. I'd say this group lives a charmed life, but I think I know better. _Kim was musing to herself in an attempt to keep from laughing at Kid Flash's name, Wally West. Seriously, Wally? Terra, unfortunately, was born as Tara Markov and instead used her last name as her off duty alias.

"It's kinda embarrassing, bein' called 'Markie' but at least I don't have people trying to mob me," she explained, a hesitant smile to her lips. "Or kill me, as the case may be."

"Terra, I will physically knock some sense into you if you keep up this irrational diatribe against yourself," Commando spoke with a decided severity to her tone, not quite threatening while still maintaining a seriousness the blonde young woman refused to try.

"Yeah, why are you knockin' yourself, Terra? And how did you lose your powers?" Ron propped his head up with his left hand, his right moving around the last bits of egg left on his plate. He seemed a bit nervous and righteously so, it was probably a very personal question. _Smooth move, Ron. Make her feel worse why don't you._ Terra seemed hesitant though a soft nudge from Jinx encouraged her to speak.

"Well, see, once I was a drifter, moving from town to town, because my ability to control and move earth, well, sometimes it wasn't entirely under my control. So I left whenever something… bad happened because of me," Terra swallowed hard. Quickly glancing around the room, the redhead noticed that, while the rest of the team appeared solemn, only Raven had a slight bitterness tainting her expression. "Then I came here, and the Titans took me in… but… I got angry and ran away, 'cause I thought…" she shook her head, sadly continuing. "I don't know what I thought. I was young and scared and stupid."

"We all make mistakes, Friend," Starfire gently added, levitating slightly. "It is past now."

"Yeah, I know," Terra wiped away a stray tear before continuing, her eyes glued to the empty spot in front of her. "Anyway, I ran until I was… captured by an enemy of the Titans. A man named Slade. He-he taught me how to control my powers. He made me stronger. And he made me hate the Titans too. He trained me so that, when I came back to the Tower… I could act as his spy. Which I did." Terra assembled all the courage in her to meet the eyes of her fellow Titans. Kim's heart went out to her; she seemed to truly regret what she did. "I nearly destroyed them. For a while, I thought… I thought they were gone." Terra took a deep, calming breath, her hands shaking slightly as she hid them under the table. _What the Hell was that? _Kim looked around quickly, having felt a slight rumble. At least, she thought she felt it. Ron was so riveted, watching Terra as she spoke, Kim doubted he would've noticed a nuke going off next to him. Drakken, on the other hand, seemed to sense something too, though he didn't appear concerned in the slightest. _Weird._ "They weren't though. The Teen Titans came back, with a vengeance too. I don't remember the fight very well, but I remember fighting Beastboy, then refusing Slade's order to end his life… I remember fighting Slade for control of my own powers. Then the volcano started to erupt; I was the only one who could stop it." The faint tremble came back and receded just as quickly. Kim watched Terra's face: concentration, anger, guilt. _She has her powers. She's just terrified to use them._ "When I did, I turned to stone. My body, entirely encased in the very rock I was surrounded by. A fitting end," she spat the last part, her hands forming fists beneath the table.

"And now… you're back?" Ron offered, his voice gentle enough to sooth some of the discomfort apparent in the other blonde's face. She nodded, offering him a weak smile.

"I had lost all my memories when I first awoke nearly two years ago. It took Beastboy and Raven to bring back what little I have been able to remember. Now, I just try to… rectify my past wrongs. I know I'll never be able to undo what I did, but I hope I can at least earn some sort of… forgiveness," Terra finished, shooting Raven an apologetic look. _Wonder what that's all about._

"It has been a long road," Raven voice betrayed a hint of bitterness but, overall, was reassuring. "But Terra has proven herself a true friend."

"Th-thanks, Rae." Terra gave the woman a broad grin, which was returned with a twitch of the violet eyed woman's lips. _I will never get used to her 'smiles' I think._ The rest of the Titans started collecting the plates and cups from breakfast and putting them in the sink. Surprisingly, all the food was gone._ I'm sure Shego likes them though. She probably likes it here a lot better than she's letting on. I mean, she has plenty of people to tease now, not just me. Although, she didn't _just_ tease me, she teases other people, but… What the Hell?_ _I need to stop talking..._

"If you think any harder, Kim, you're going to bust something," Commando's voice in her ear nearly startled the teen into action but, thankfully, she kept herself in control enough to mutter a 'don't do that' and what could pass for a playful swat. "Oh, combative now, aren't we?"

"You just startled me, that's all," the redhead tried to find someone else to turn her attention to but found no one. The common room had cleared out while she was busy thinking about… things. "Why are you still here?"

"To do the dishes?" Commando raised a brow and indicated the rather full sink. Having no sleeves to speak of, the young woman stepped right over and started on her chore. She threw a glance over her shoulder and smiled. "Would you like to help? It won't take so long if you help me out."

"Uh, yeah, sure," luckily, she'd neglected to put her mission gloves on this morning, and her purple shirt had short sleeves. As it was still her only set of clothes, she wasn't too keen on getting them wet. "I, uh, didn't catch your name. Earlier, I mean."

"I just go by Jane Doe. I don't have any memory of my life prior to becoming Commando," she replied nonchalantly, scrubbing a syrup soaked plate. "Names are what other people give you anyway. Jinx usually calls me Com, or Connie in public. I'm starting to like it."

"I see," Kim glanced at the super soldier and had to double check, to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. "Wait, weren't you taller last night?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I can change my height. Not by a lot, really, I usually hover between five foot eight and seven foot six. Depends on who I'm dealing with, the situation, you know, everything is mission oriented. I tend to stand shorter here at the Tower. Makes the others a little more comfortable when they don't have to look up at me," she offered a smile that reached to her intense hazel eyes. Noticing that the redhead was looking her dead in the eye, the soldier blinked, her eyes suddenly the same green as Kim's. _What the Hell? _"I can also change my eye color, hair color, skin tone, add or remove physical blemishes-"

"You're an assassin." It was a statement; one Kim regretted the moment she made it. While Commando didn't seem to take it as a slight, she did turn her attention back to what they were supposed to be doing. "I didn't mean-"

"Your meaning is immaterial. Your words are truth," there was no hint of bitterness or anger, just a twinge of sadness. "I'm pretty sure I was designed to be the greatest weapon, a soldier who could, literally, become whoever is needed to complete the mission. I have enhanced strength, enhanced speed, reflexes, mental capacity, damn near everything needed for the perfect assassin."

They stood in silence, working on the dishes intently. It wasn't that they were avoiding continuing the subject. Kim just couldn't quite think of something to say that wouldn't sound rude. As they were nearing the end of their chore, she ventured the only thing she could think of to say.

"What did you lack?"

"Honestly?" she gave a proud smile. "It wasn't that I lacked anything. They gave me the ability to understand what I was doing. To understand that what I was being asked to do was morally wrong. I wasn't created by the government to act in times of war, to bring peace. I was created by some sort of weapons dealer to _start_ wars. And I refused."

"So now, you fight for peace, because it's all you know how to do?" Com nodded. Kim could respect that. She could understand why someone with such a background wouldn't bat an eyelash at Shego or herself, or Drakken. It also helped her understand how the rest of the Titans could readily accept four strangers from another world; 'weird' was a state of mind they could no longer enter. However, knowing that Com had such a deep understanding of her own morality, Kim thought she might get some information from the fatigued fighter, as their chore was nearly done. "You wouldn't be inclined to let me in on that bet earlier, would you?"

"I'd be inclined if you could provide me with some information as well," she countered, a wicked grin spelling out mischief evident on her face. _Well, I've never been a gambler… but, I suppose there are worse things._

"What exactly are you looking to know?" The dishes were done and the room was still empty. Commando crossed her arms in front of her breastplate. It didn't look comfortable but Kim assumed a higher pain tolerance meant that she didn't feel any discomfort at all.

"Tell me a little about yourself."

"Excuse me?"

A lifted brow and a slight widening of that grin was her immediate answer. "You want me to be specific?"

"Please and thank you."

"Okay," Commando leaned on the counter, forming her question carefully. "From what we've gathered, you're a cheerleader who saved the world on a fairly regular basis. Can you indulge me in stories of your fondest memories from those days?"

_Just when I think I start to figure this place out._ "Sure. Where should I start?"

_~Elsewhere in Titans' Tower~_

"Come on, man, cut me some slack here! Raven will kill me if I don't come back _some _information!" Beastboy pleaded as he knelt down, trying to talk the skeptical naked mole rat into answering his questions. Still, Rufus seemed reluctant to submit himself to an interrogation without something first. "Okay, how about we make a deal?"

The rodent looked intrigued, quickly spelling out his simple demands. Beastboy returned Rufus' expectant look with a broad smile.

"That's easy, dude, and I can have it done by the end of tomorrow. Now, will you answer my questions?"

Rufus clapped his paws together, already enjoying the prospect of having someone able to not only understand him completely but also the residual effects of that someone being a Teen Titan. With a few vigorous nods of his small head, Rufus awaited the changling's questions with rapt attention.

"Okay, first thing's first. How did you come to be Ron's pet?"

_~Yet Somewhere Else in the Tower~_

"... and _that_ is why my skin is blue. Really, I thought it was the end of my career as a scientist, much less a mad scientist bent on taking over the world. I mean, really, who could ever respect an overgrown Smurf, you know what I mean?" Drakken sighed, reclining slightly in the comfy chair in his new room. The former mad scientist turned his head to glance at his rather silent listener. "Huh, do you know what a Smurf is?"

"No, but I can guess," Raven replied, tilting her head slightly to the side. "Probably something small and nonthreatening, with blue skin."

"More or less," Drakken sighed, giving the Titan a weary smile. "You know, it's strange to just talk to someone without being interrupted with either constant questions or snide remarks."

"If you want snide remarks, I'm sure-"

"No! That's quite alright," Drakken hastily amended, smoothing back his hair a bit. "Trust me, I have enough with Shego's constant ridicule. Sometimes, I swear that woman only stays in my employ to vex me." Suddenly the Doctor frowned, looking rather confused. "Of course, now that she's quit..."

"Quit?" Raven raised a brow. "Why did she quit? And if she was so vexing, why does it bother you?"

"It's a long story," Drakken muttered. Raven levitated a little closer.

"I have time. And I am a good listener."

_~Back to The Common Room~_

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. Embarrassment ninjas _do_ exist."

"And just when I thought I'd heard and seen it all." Com shook her head, either in disbelief or pity, it was hard to tell. Kim just laughed.

"Oh, trust me, he's done worse. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be trapped in a Television show?"

"You know, the Titans _have_ been trapped in the TV before. They told me about it."

"Not fun?"

"Didn't sound like it. I'll tell you their story in a minute, how did Drakken do it?"

_~The Roof of Titan's Tower~_

"Now _that_ was rather clever of him," Jinx laughed, swinging her legs over the edge of the roof. "Was his father impressed?"

"Oh, yeah, Triple S was all proud and crap, almost made me sick," Shego stared at the sky, surprised that such a large city had so few flights in the sky. That was one thing she missed about Go City: watching the planes move so lazily across the blue sky. It was hard to remember the speeds they were actually going.

"Did you get away with it?"

"Pfff, of course not! I tell you, sometimes I think I have a locator chip dug into my skin somewhere; that woman is always able to find me!"

"I assume 'that woman' is none other than the redhead downstairs?"

"Yup. Kimmie and I, it's like we have some sort of sixth sense. We sense each other, I swear, I have to fight to act surprised each time she shows up," Shego sighed, though she wasn't quite sure why. Jinx shifted slightly, crossing one leg over the other and leaning back on her hands.

"How long have the two of you been fighting?"

"You know, that's a good question. I would say since she started high school, which would be about four years or so, but there was this one time when Monkey Fist had this time travelling monkey thingie..."

_~And Back to the Hallway~_

"No shit?" Beastboy blinked at the rodent who nodded his head sadly. "And _no one_ has even noticed?"

Rufus started chattering enthusiastically, waving his tiny paws in frustration. Beastboy nodded understandingly, rolling his eyes appropriately.

"Trust me dude, I know _exactly_ what you mean. Sometimes, Humans are completely clueless. I'm subject to it myself!"

Rufus made an 'aw' noise and bounded over to pat the young man's knee soothingly.

"Thanks, little dude. Okay, so, what's the story behind Doc?"

_~Back to Drakken's Room~_

"That's absolutely devious, using commercialism and capitalism in such an evil way. Guess that's the price of conformity," gave a slight chuckle, shaking her head. "Was the synthodrone really necessary?"

"In reality, probably not, and without Eric's betrayal to fuel her anger, I might have succeeded," Drakken gave the empath a wry grin. "Hindsight, you know."

"If only we could go through life backwards," Raven sighed, taking a sip from her tea mug. Being able to faze through walls had its advantages when it came to making food runs. "She must have been devastated."

"That's something that always puzzled me," Drakken admitted, shaking his head, staring at his cup of cocoa moo. "I left her broken hearted, tied to the buffoon. When she came back, they were dating! I mean, I understand the girl can 'do anything' but I think that's pushing the limits of, well, decency!"

Raven smiled behind her mug. "You don't say."

_~Again, Elsewhere in the Tower~_

"Oh, it was great! I mean, look at her, she's beautiful!" Ron sighed, laying back on his new bed. "But, hey, all good things come to an end, ya know? I'm not really bitter about it."

"You sound a little bitter," Kid Flash pointed out, lazily draped across one of the chairs in Ron's room.

"Well, maybe, but that comes from something totally different," Ron sighed, sitting up and looking to his new friend. Kid Flash just cocked his head to the side, waiting for him to continue. It was weird that this young man, whom he hadn't even known a full twenty four hours yet, would be the first (sans Rufus) to hear the words. "Honestly... the day Kim called me to break up..."

_~Hallway Again~_

"You're kidding."

Rufus shook his head.

"Come on, you've got to be pulling my leg."

Again, the rodent signaled that he wasn't.

"You're telling me that Ron..."

_~Ron's Room~_

"... you mean _you_ were going to tell her the same thing?" Kid Flash couldn't hide his surprise as the blonde nodded. "But, why, Ron?"

"I'm not _that_ stupid, Wally," Ron met the other boy's eyes and gave a sad smile. "She never loved me. And it took me a while to realize that I didn't really love her. I just wanted to stop her pain. No matter what, I will be her best friend, and it's the best friend's job to ease the pain." Ron sighed. "I just wish I had thought of a better way to do it."

_~Back to the Common Room~_

"Well, what did you do?"

"I stopped them, of course. Don't get me wrong, Drakken did a great job using Bueno Nacho to further his plans for world domination, but when he messed with my love life, well, he bit off more than he could chew."

"Ah, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, eh?"

"Not even close."

"So that's when you and Ron started dating?"

"Yeah," Kim shifted nervously. They'd moved from the kitchen area down to the common room couch, set in front of the largest television screen the heroine had ever seen. "It took me a while to realize that it was a mistake."

"He was just your rebound?" Com offered, nodding understandingly. When Kim sighed, she reached out and patted her knee. "Hey, it's not your fault. People have done far worse over the course of history, I promise."

"I know, but it's just… I've been so confused since then."

"Confused? How so?" Kim eyed the woman suspiciously. _How'd we get to this topic?_ Commando raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, we'll drop it. Was that the end of your adventures in world saving?"

"Oh, how I wish."

_~Roof Again~_

"Wait, wait, back up, what did you just say?" Jinx crossed her arms and eyed the other former villainess suspiciously. "Was that some sort of joke?"

"No, I'm being honest, as strange as that is to say," Shego groaned, running a hand through her ebony hair. "Once upon a time, I was a hero, and a damn good one too."

"What caused you to jump the fence?" Jinx had to keep a smile from her face as the asked that. Schooling her expression was crucial.

"My brothers. Well, that's not fair, the Wegos had nothing to do with it, but Mego and Hego were absolute nightmares to live with! And Hego..." Shego's expression turned especially sour. "He was so controlling. The more we fought, the more I realized that I would never live up to his expectations."

"Expectations? What could he possibly demand from you that the boy blunder wouldn't?" Jinx figured taking an antagonizing approach to their fearless leader would be easier for Shego to accept. "I mean, it's nice to have someone with a similar background in the Tower, ya know? I'd hate for him to blow it by being a controlling dweeb."

Shego suddenly stood and started heading inside, her face contorted in anger. "I don't want to talk about it."

_~Drakken's Room~_

"I have my suspicions," the blue man admitted, handing Raven his emptied cup. "Shego always said she liked being 'evil' but, considering her recent behavior, I think it goes much farther than breaking the law. After meeting her brother, Hego, I think my suspicions are rather well founded."

"Oh? Was he an overprotective older brother?"

"No," Drakken was lost in thought. "He's just stubborn and got his morality code from comic books. You know, where there's no grey area. Shego was in that grey area. Still is. I think so anyway."

"Huh. I see."

_~Ron's Room~_

"So, uh, here's a random question," Ron coughed, looking anywhere but at his audience. "Terra... does she take lessons with Raven and Beastboy to bring her powers back?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"So, we'd probably be training together?"

"Probably. Since you guys are new, you'll probably be training with Terra and the rest of us Bravo guys."

"Hmmm," Ron rubbed his chin. Then smiled. "Cool."

_~Hallway, For No Reason~_

"That's pretty sweet. Have you ever considered telling Ron?"

Rufus rolled his eyes, making a sarcastic chirp in response.

"Hey, it's a valid question! I think he could understand you wanting another naked mole rat to talk to, play with, and, heh, other things," green eyebrows waggled suggestively, one of his fangs exposed as he gave a wide smile. Rufus just rolled his eyes again. "I could ask him about it. Drop a subtle hint. "

_~Common Room~_

"Have you considered a new sidekick?"

"I told you, he was my boyfriend at the time, how could I even consider someone else?"

"I'm just saying, the kid just drops such a high powered piece of equipment and you just let it slide?" Commando handed the pictures produced from the photo booth back to the young heroine. "Who knows what could've happened if he hadn't dropped the Attitudinator! You and 'Miss Go' could've been the best of friends."

"That's the thing, though, I didn't _want_ Miss Go! Sure, we could've been friends, but it wouldn't have been the same. I didn't realize that until much later. I wanted my Shego back!" Kim had become so relaxed during the conversation she didn't even realize what she was saying. "I mean, yeah, a piece of me always thought we'd make one Hell of a crime fighting team but then we'd be unbeatable. As long as Shego was out there, I had someone to test myself against, to fight against, someone who could match me blow for blow and step for step."

"That's a curious observation," Com replied nonchalantly, trying to keep the redhead distracted from what she'd been saying. When the super soldier received a questioning glance, she quickly explained herself. "I saw the damage done to Cinderblock. Her plasma? It's no joke. Yet I don't see a scorch mark on you. I'm just saying that it's weird to say you're equals when she's obviously been holding back. Maybe she's just a wuss and couldn't muster the courage to really put the hurting on you."

"Hey, don't insult her like that!" Kim instantly jumped on the defensive. _Who the Hell does she think she is, taking a jab like that! And when she's not even here to defend herself!_ "Shego isn't a wuss!"

"Then why didn't she ever use her full strength?"

"Because that wouldn't have been fair!"

"Since when do villains consider what is 'fair'?"

"Shego's different!" Kim stood, anger evident on her face. _I can't believe I'm defending her so vehemently. It's just the stress, I'm sure. And she's one of 'us' so I'm just defending a friend! Yeah, that's all this is, defending one of my friends._ "She used to be a hero, you know."

"A hero? You don't say," Com looked to the ceiling thoughtfully. "Perhaps she's truly the greatest hero ever, then."

"Yeah, now you're- wait, what?" Kim's anger completely dissipated, staring at the other woman in confusion. Commando laughed.

"Well, now this is just a theory, but maybe the reason this supervillainess friend of yours is working for someone who's as incompetent as you claim Dr. Drakken to be lies in the possibility that she's been working for the good of your world all along."

"I'm not following."

"Well, let's say she teamed up with that Señor Senior Senior guy. Unlimited funds, access to damn near every resource available, and, if what you said about the future Shego from that strange time, uh, sitch, whatever, is true, would you have been able to save the world?" _You know, I never thought of it like that. _Kim refused to let the words leave her mouth though. Instead, Com continued. "More importantly, without Shego to train and hone your skills on, how would you have competed against any of your other vicious foes?"

_I have no answer for these questions._

"Face it, Kim. Without Shego, there would be no Kim Possible," those hazel (when had she turned them back, Kim couldn't be certain) eyes were glinting. "And I have a sneaking suspicion that, without Kim Possible, there would be no Shego."

_~Twenty Minutes Later~_

"Who the HELL does she think she is! Going on like that, like she knows us! She has no idea who she's talking about! And she never even told me what that stupid bet was about!" Kim ranted, storming around her room. While most of the conversation in the common room had been rather relaxing, those final thoughts were gnawing at the back of the young heroine's mind. _Why has Shego never gone full strength against me? Does she, what, pity me? Has she just let me take credit for her own plans to save the world? Or is this just Com messing with my head?_ Kim stopped in her tracks. Commando was a soldier. From her experiences, the one thing soldiers _loved _to do was to mess with the 'fresh meat' and be either as discreet or open about it as possible, depending on the particular occasion. And she had to take the entire situation into account. "I'm living in a Tower in the middle of a harbor with a bunch of teenagers who spend their time saving the world from killer criminals. Could this be their way of just having fun?"

Kim looked around her room. _No, this wasn't a joke. This wasn't a way to mess with my head. So, if it wasn't those things, what could it be? _Sitting on her bed, the redhead started pouring over the entire conversation. Overanalyzing everything, unable to trust the face value of it all. _What was she trying to accomplish?_ With sudden resolve, Kim set out from her room, searching for advice from the only people she could really trust, which was terrifying in and of itself.

_~Shift~_

"No, KP, we just talked about life back in Middleton," Ron innocently shook his head. "I think it's in your head."

"I swear, there _had_ to be some sort of ulterior motive," Kim crossed her arms. "Are you _sure_ he wasn't directing the questions one way or another."

Ron raised a brow. "Kim, you're acting really paranoid. Even Rufus will vouch; he was talking to Beastboy for a good while about home too."

On cue, the rodent started nodding, watching his Human pals from his own little enclave. Kim sighed. _Maybe it is in my head. I mean, yeah, I guess those are valid questions someone who doesn't really _know_ us would ask. I need to be sure though._

_~Shift~_

"Honestly, Miss Possible, the conversation centered mostly on my transitions from scientist, to mad scientist, back to scientist. Of course, you, Shego, and the buffoon were mentioned in passing, but Miss Raven rarely asked direct questions," the blue man smiled. "It was quite a refreshing change, actually. But it did bring up something I've been meaning to tell you. I am sorry about the whole synthodrone thing. That was pretty mean of me."

_Haven't I had enough surprises for one twenty four hour period? I think I'm going to lose my mind from all this!_ "Uh, water under the bridge, Drakken." Kim eyed the blue man suspiciously. "But it didn't seem like Raven was fishing for something?"

"Nope. I think you're starting to see shadows for no reason," Drakken scratched behind his ear. "The Titans are just trying to get to know us. No harm in that, right?"

"Yeah… right."

_~Shift~_

"Pumpkin, I know where you're coming from, it did feel a little bit like they were digging, but I'm sure they weren't looking for anything specific," Shego leaned against her doorframe. "Really, you should leave the hysterics to the buffoon."

"I don't know, I just get the feeling like there's something they still aren't telling us," Kim sighed and turned back towards her room. Of course, while she had explained most of the conversation, Kim had omitted the ending portion during all three conversations. _What Com and I talked about better stay between us. If Shego hears what Com suggested..._

"Kimmie!" Shego called out, causing the redhead to turn around halfway down the hallway. "For what it's worth... I agree. Something just doesn't fit."

~Raven's Room~

"And you're sure he's none the wiser?" Raven's tone was still the even, nearly monotonous one she'd used for most of their acquaintance, but with a soft seriousness added to it. Like the answer might doom the world. Knowing Raven, it might, but Jinx kept the thought to herself as she nodded.

"Wally believed what I told him; that we just wanted to be sure Ron was settling in alright. He did exactly as I asked," Jinx seemed so pleased with herself, Raven couldn't help but reveal a slightly bigger 'smile' than usual. To her right stood Commando, looking rather bored, while Beastboy stood to Raven's left, leaning against her desk.

"Excellent. Thank you, Jinx, Commando, Beastboy. I know it seems a bit... underhanded but we'll need to help them overcome their respective issues before the battle. If not, we are all doomed," Raven nodded, dismissing the other Titans. Jinx left without so much as a backwards glance. Commando had turned to follow but stopped a few steps shy of the door.

"While I always wondered what high school would be like, I never thought I'd be living through the drama here at the Tower," Commando wasn't very good at voicing certain things to her fellow Titans. Questioning the 'senior' Titans was definitely one of those things and Raven understood this.

"You heard the stories yourself, Jane. They won't find themselves without our help," the empath shook her head. "Our meddling stops soon, I promise. We can only show them the path. We cannot force them down it."

"I trust you, Rachel. I just wish I didn't feel so... bad about it."

"I know." With that, Com stepped out of the room, allowing the door to swish closed. Only Beastboy and Raven remained. "I'm sorry to do this to you, Gar."

"I don't know why. I'm kinda glad," the green teen smiled, moving away from the desk to wrap his beloved girlfriend up in his arms. "It makes me happy you can trust me with this."

"I couldn't turn anywhere else," Raven sighed, resting her forehead against her lover's shoulder. "What do you believe?"

"Me?" Beastboy's smile fell as he started stroking her violet hair. "I believe we've changed the future more than once. Once more is no problem."

"But Shego... her powers will only get stronger here."

"I know."

"And my vision..."

"Rae, look at me," Beastboy lifted her chin so their eyes could meet. He had always felt terrible that she held the curse of seeing the future. It wasn't easy to begin with and it never got easier with time. He managed an easy smile looking into her violet orbs barely holding back tears. "The two of us are the only ones who really know what you saw. As long as we play the parts thrown to us, we will succeed."

"But the others-"

"The others will understand, Rae. In time, they will all understand."

"I hope so, Gar," Raven hugged the changling to her, clinging to him. "God, I hope we're not making a colossal mistake."

_Continued in Chapter 4: Odd Man Out (or Introducing The New (and Maybe Improved) Team Possible!)_

Author's Note: Okay, so, now you know why I had to split the chapter in half. Somehow, I thought the dialogue wouldn't take up so much but, hey, what can ya do? Keeping upcoming events in mind, I'm not quite sure how often I'll be able to update. It will definitely not be as often as I would like, but I (hopefully) will be able to update once every week or so. That's tentative. However, I can almost promise Ch 4 will be up before Friday.

Now, before anyone starts on it, yes, I did have the Titans referring to one another by their _real_ names, which is done in the comics and not in the cartoon. However, as this is set a few years after the last TT episode, I think it's an acceptable progression.

Thanks to those who have reviewed and such, it really helps. I hope I don't disappoint.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Wait, wait, wait! Damn, nope, still don't own Kim Possible or the Teen Titans. Seriously, dude. Seriously. *brilliant idea* I should let Motor Ed write my disclaimers! … Seriously…

Chapter 4: Odd Man Out (or Introducing the New (and Maybe Improved) Team Possible!)

"Something tells me she likes it," Beastboy laughed, patting Cyborg's metallic shoulder. Every resident of the Tower was currently gathered on the roof to watch as the newest Titans began their training. A week had passed without incident, the newest additions to Titans' Tower settling into the routine surprisingly well, though the veteran Titans kept the observations to themselves. High in the sky, three figures were cutting through the air like it was butter.

_Okay, I'll give it to the Tin Man, this is awesome!_ Shego didn't dare say the words aloud yet, still getting the hang of using her new suit as the wind whipped past. Cyborg had designed it to mimic her typical cat suit but this new one was made from green synthetic material and black neo steel, sculpted to fit her body as snugly as her old one. While the steel was designed to provide support, it also held the ability to bend slightly, allowing for Shego to fight hand-to-hand surprisingly well (she still thought it was a bit too restrictive). The added protection wasn't her favorite feature though. Thanks to Drakken's already extensive research into her powers, Cyborg was able to design the suit to feed off her plasma as a power source. Now, rather than just throw plasma, she could _fly _and throw plasma, along with a myriad of other functions.

She was slicing through the air, with Starfire on her left and Raven on her right, doing simple high speed maneuvers, rolling, dodging, ducking, though there was nothing to avoid, the goal was to stay between the senior Titans and match them step for step. _Come on! Let's go!_ Shego desperately wanted to take things to the next level, to continue learning the powers of this suit, but Raven was quite clear with the rules. After all, this was only her first time in the suit. Back on the ground, the rest of the Titans couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, I think she's diggin' the suit. Course, Doc really helped with the design," Cyborg turned his attention to the other suit he'd worked all week on, alongside Shego's. "Well, Lynn, are you going to give it a shot?"

"Of course," the redhead replied instantly, already used to her chosen codename. It helped that 'Lynn' sounded a little like 'Kim' when yelled. She'd been watching the three carefully, running over the controls in her head. Unlike Shego, Kim's suit wasn't as simple as manipulating an ever present plasma field. Also unlike Shego, Kim had only her acrobatics and sheer force of will for 'powers' and needed a more... technological answer to the problem. As she continued to build her confidence in the controls of her suit, Robin whispered to Cyborg.

"Why do these suits look so familiar?"

"Because I took the newer designs Starks has been working on and, well, tweaked them."

"Oh, great, like we need to owe_ him_ anything," Robin muttered, watching as Kim walked to the edge of the roof. Bright green eyes were focused, intense, completely dedicated to what she was about to do. Good thing too. The fall from the roof of the Tower was, without a doubt, fatal. If there was something the Titan leader could relate to, even admire, in the new arrivals, it was Kim's sheer determination.

"Shego!" the sickly sweet voice Shego had come to accept as a condition of her current situation called out, pulling her attention away from the boundless sky around her. Through the slight tint of her helmet's visor, Shego could see the Tamaranian indicate they turn around, heading back towards the Tower. _Damnit! Finally something cool happens and they want to stop early._ She didn't complain though, learning early in the week that the best way to keep the alien from giving her added grief was to be as polite as possible. Not that it always happened, but she put forth the effort, and everyone else seemed pleased with that much.

As they came to a nearly instant stop and reversed direction, Shego caught sight of a familiar redhead standing near the roof's edge. _What the Hell is Pumpkin up to now? I never pictured her as a jumper._ Though the helmet blocked her wingmen from seeing it, Shego's face fell and heart sank as Kim Possible leapt off the top of the Tower. _Princess! _Shego sped up, leaving her companions behind as she started to dive, hoping to catch up to the plummeting heroine. Just as her horror started to mount, it melted away just as easily as something purple appeared beneath the younger woman's feet and she veered away from the fast approaching Earth. Shego too adjusted her course, coming to flank Kim just as Starfire had. Whereas Shego was propelled by the plasma powered jets along the soles of her feet and smaller adjusting ones along her suit, Kim was riding what appeared to be a wider version of a snowboard. The suit Cyborg had designed for her held a striking resemblance to her latest mission uniform, purple on black in a complimenting design to Shego's own green and black suit, though Kim had nothing metal about her uniform. She had boots, true, but they seemed to be just as flexible as her usual sneakers, though they held a circuitry look like Com's, as well as gauntlets that covered her hands up to her forearms. Unfortunately, Shego couldn't see Kim's expression; the moment the flight board appeared beneath her feet, a helmet flew up to protect her head, much like Shego's suit did. _It's creepy how they designed our suits to be so similar. Then again, I suppose it just helps keep things from getting confusing. Doesn't make sense to make two different suit designs for people who won't be around much longer..._ The grim thought nearly pushed her rage, which would've affected the plasma field that now ran her suit. _That could be very bad. I should probably try getting mad before we go into a _real_ fight._ Kim suddenly swerved towards her, causing the emerald woman to spin away, glaring at her, though the helmet ruined the effect. Rather than try it again, Kim pointed at her helmet, then at Shego. _Oh, right, they put a comm system in the helmets._ Shego reached up and hit the button, returning to her flanking position easily.

**Shego?**

**I'm here, Princess. Likin' the suit?**

**It's... well, I'm not going to lie, this is spankin'!** Though they didn't need to, the adrenaline coursing through their systems had the two women nearly yelling into their comms. Luckily, it had an auto correcting function that kept their hearing intact, for the most part. **I never thought I'd be able to do something like this!**

**I know what you mean!**

**Yeah.** An audible silence passed as they started to climb. Shego could simply tilt her body to change direction and altitude. Kim had to maneuver the board, spinning her hips to follow after her former foe. _I wonder what she's thinking about... We haven't talked much this week._ It was true; except for at meals and during the random 'family time' (Shego had no idea how else to explain the nearly mandatory togetherness the Titans would declare now and again), the redhead had been avoiding her. And not in the accidental way either. Ever since she had asked about Shego's chat with Jinx, Kim had been keeping her distance. _I just wish I knew why. Not that I care... okay, maybe I do care. A little. Damnit._

"So, why didn't I get a really cool suit like that?" Ron managed between pants, sweating heavily from his hand-to-hand training with Commando. While Kim and Shego had pretty much been allowed to take the week off, Ron had started his training the very next day with Raven. It started with meditating, which Ron had initially thought was stupid, but after five days of trying (and giving the empath several severe headaches) Ron had started to tap into his hidden powers. Now, it just took connecting those powers with the need to stay alive, and then being able to activate it when possible. At least, that's how Beastboy explained it. Ron, of course, was a little more skeptical. Especially considering he was expected to do all this flipping around and such with what could pass for a motorcycle helmet and a red and black jumpsuit to match Shego and Kim, though a little less armored. However, he didn't complain about his new uniform. Why? Because now he couldn't lose his pants while on missions as the uniform was a one piece jump suit. Somehow, that made the young man a little more confident in his training.

"You can't all be able to fly. You need a strong ground attack to compliment the air assault. Otherwise, you become entirely too easy to beat," Commando chided, patting his shoulder. She was at her biggest and strongest, pushing the blonde to use not only his speed to counteract her strength, but also leverage to overcome her size. He wasn't exactly accomplishing that mission but she had stopped being able to hit him about twenty minutes ago, so that was an improvement.

"You know, you don't have to lie to me," Ron sighed. "You guys think I'll break it."

"Your words, not mine."

"Are you saying it's not true?"

"..."

"That's what I thought," Ron looked up to the figures twirling high overhead, feeling his jealousy start to rise.

"You're getting better though," Terra's voice caught Ron off guard, though he had learned to stop jumping every time a Titan ambushed him. He managed to simply flinch this time. "Before long, you'll be able to take out the big bad Commando." The blonde girl threw a playful punch at the other woman, a bright smile on her lips.

"I don't know if that's an insult to me or a compliment to him," Commando laughed, settling into her fighting stance. "Now, come on, Triple M, you still have work to do."

Ron sighed, ready to get his ass kicked. Again. Repeatedly. "I swear some higher power hates me."

"Don't worry, you'll do fine!" Terra smiled, patting his back before running clear of their practice ring. At least he had one fan. And a pretty girl fan at that. As Commando launched her next assault, Ron could almost trick himself into believing he was keeping up with her. Almost. High above the combative lesson, Shego and Kim were soaring around, a green and purple streak through the otherwise clear blue sky.

**Shego!**

**What?**

**Wanna have a little fun?**

There was something to the redhead's tone that caught the emerald woman's curiosity. _Oh, this should be good. But I can't just go with it off the bat. Teasing comes first, always. _**Am I starting to rub off on you, Princess?**

**Hardly. I just thought it would be cool.**

**I'm listening.** Far below, Raven levitated fifty feet above the roof, Starfire next to her, watching their new fliers.

"Friend Raven."

"Yes, Starfire?" Before the words left the alien's mouth, her companion already knew what was coming.

"What do you think I should get Robin for the day of our anniversary?" the innocent question came each year from the alien, and Raven had been waiting all week for it. It wasn't that Starfire didn't have ideas of her own. Simply put, the kind hearted alien always feared she might inadvertently misuse a portion of Earth custom and anger Robin, which every Titan seriously doubted was possible. Yet, that didn't stop her from seeking the approval of others, most notably Raven and Cyborg. Beastboy was never any help, citing he 'didn't want to give away his secrets' which Raven had to admit was a good thing. She had come to adore the strange surprises he'd come up with, just to keep her guessing. Her mind snapped away from the changling and back to Starfire.

"Well, Star-"

"Raven! Starfire! Incoming!" Both airborne Titans quickly trained their eyes skyward, watching in horror as two figures, one a little purple, the other a little green, and both mostly black, were falling towards the roof, managing to exchange blows as they fell. While Starfire was about to fly to their aid, Raven made a motion to stop her. They were rolling through the air, the force of each punch and kick sending them nearly spiraling out of control. Yet, they never really lost control through the entire fall, each managing to keep a hold on the other.

_Warning: Approaching Obstacle. Alter course. Warning. Damnit! Just when I was having fun._ Kim must've gotten the same warning as their helmeted gazes managed to lock, a nod in unison, then the two brought their knees up to their chests and pushed off from the other's feet, changing their course enough to fall past the Tower's roof, though by too close a margin, barely a few inches. _That could've ended badly. Kimmie's getting just as antsy as me, I guess. _Shego took an extra ten seconds to activate the boosters on her suit, regaining the ability of flight and arching wide across the bay before heading back to the Tower. _I'm sure gel boy is going to be pissed about that. Luckily, I could care less._ Shego grinned wickedly, noticing a familiar purple streak rising on the other side of the Tower. _Good. I'd be real torn up if you died, Princess._

"That was completely-"

"Awesome!" Beastboy and Cyborg shouted at the same time, cutting off Robin entirely. Raven threw the boys an exasperated smile. It was reckless but it was also rather necessary in her opinion. After all, pulling a stunt like that over Jump City would rather easily explain the moniker 'Adrena Lynn' and capture the hearts of over half the city.

"That was very dangerous but it looked very cool," Drakken surmised, getting used to the new suit Cyborg had designed him. Considering his track record, it was unanimously decided that he would _not_ be participating on the front lines. However, he was rather good at working the computer system, and seeing as how having a techno genius somewhere safe had saved her a few times, Kim had suggested he stay back at the Tower and provide whatever backup he could from there. Of course, the blue scientist had no issues with this. Still, he got a new costume, one that held a softer tone of blue with a bit more black in abstract patterns to match the rest of his 'team'. Plus aviator goggles, just because he thought they were cool. "Hmmm, so, when will we be making our big debut?"

"Not sure," Robin grumbled, passing a hand over his face. "Do they always act like this?"

"Pushing the limits of your sanity by either ruining your plans or ridiculing them?" Drakken questioned, nonchalantly picking some gunk out of his ear. "In my experience, they consider it their purpose in life."

"I'm starting to wonder if this was such a good idea," the boy wonder admitted, watching as Shego made a rolling landing and Kim deactivated her board about three feet from the roof. As Shego gained her feet, her helmet dropped down, revealing those critical emerald eyes and challenging smirk, Kim winding up right next to her as they face the Titan leader. They landed so gracefully, Robin briefly wondered if that was their natural ability or the suits before pushing it from his mind. "Was that absolutely necessary?"

"Are you saying you'd rather us learn midair combat, disengaging and reengaging our suits during a _real_ fight?" Shego cocked a brow, crossing her arms at the same time.

"Oh, and don't forget, we'll need to learn emergency maneuvers in order to minimize collateral damage during our aerial battles," Kim chimed in, her helmet flipping down as she spoke. Robin looked between them and growled something none could understand.

"…You two planned this, didn't you?"

"You gave us internal comms for a reason, right?" Shego laughed, stretching her arms out. "We were working on our teamwork anyway. I don't know why you have to stress so much."

"Yeah, really, Robin, it's no big! How are we supposed to work as a team if you don't let us do our thing?" Kim started adjusting the settings on her control panel built into the right gauntlet. Giving up on reprimanding the two, Robin just told them to go inside whenever they wanted and left the roof himself. Raven, who had watched the exchange, glanced to her still floating friend.

"Starfire."

"Yes, Raven?"

"I know what you could do for Robin to make him _very_ happy."

"Really?" bright green eyes widened with hope glistening in them. "Please, tell me!"

_~A Few Hours Later, at Lunch~_

"Hookay, are you sure you didn't take a blow to the head there, Pumpkin?" Shego set her Coke down, crossing her legs as she leaned back in her chair. The redhead in questioned shook her head, rather intent on her suggestion.

"Think about it! It's better than anything else we've come up with!" Kim persisted; her arms cross as she practically glared across the table. _Why does she insist on sitting so far away?_ Shego pushed the thought aside but it returned. Perhaps she had said something to upset her former foe. _I don't care!_ She lied to herself. "Team Possible has worked for Ron, Wade, Rufus and I for years! Why can't it work now?"

"Because, I dunno, maybe I'm not too keen on being a 'Possible'!" Shego used air quotes as she said the word and then instantly regretted it, though she wasn't quite sure why. _I swear I'm going to have Tin Man examine my head! This is ridiculous!_

"Would you rather us be Team Go then?" Kim offered, slightly deflated.

"Ha, no, you aren't Go material, trust me," Shego wanted to slap herself as she caught the slight hurt in those bright green eyes. _Aw Hell! Now I've gone and made her sad. And I care about her feelings, why? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?_ Shego tossed the internal confusion aside as she gritted her teeth and swallowed her pride. "Hmmm, well, it's only for one fight, right? I guess 'Team Possible' wouldn't hurt."

"Right!" Kim instantly perked up. "See! You'll like being... a... Poss...i...ble..." The awkward finish was noticed by all present, though everyone dutifully ignored the now blushing redhead. _Damn, one shade more and her face'll match her hair! Wonder what's going on in there though... what's she thinking?_

"You know, maybe I will." Shego gave one of her seductive smiles and ran a hand through her hair. On the outside, she looked cool and calm. On the inside, she was anything but. _Where the Hell is this coming from? I mean, I know that I... no, no, no, I need to just stop thinking altogether. Completely._ A thick silence settled between the two while other conversations continued, though none address the two women.

"Rufus! Where the heck have you been?" Ron seemed genuinely surprised as the naked mole rat hopped onto the table, seeming rather chipper. Well, more so than usual. The rodent looked to his owner and started squeaking out a reply, pointing to Beastboy. Shego noticed the look on his face. It said it all: BUSTED! _Thank God. I thought I might have to actually _find _something to take my mind off her- I mean... Damnit!_

"Uh, oh, green boy's in trouble!" Shego taunted from the other end of the table. A brief glance registered that Kim had also turned her attention to the fiasco. _Guess she needs the distraction too._ As Rufus finished his explanation, Ron nearly jumped out of his seat.

"THEY BUILT YOU A WHAT!" Ron looked between Beastboy and Cyborg, though the latter had little idea what was going on and decided to verbally confirm his suspicions.

"Uh, BB, does this have anything to do with the-"

"Yes."

"I thought so," Cyborg nodded, then raised his eyebrow. "I don't understand why you're mad though."

"What?" Ron shook his head. "I'm not mad. You built Rufus his own computer! That's amazing! How did you manage to make it though? Don't computers take, like, a lot of… stuff? And things?" _And _that_ is why we call him the buffoon._

"Uh, yeah, but the computer itself isn't his size. I just created a micro keyboard and interface that runs on the same memory as the standard Tower computers," Cyborg shrugged his massive shoulders. "He seems like a smart little... whatever he is, smart enough to know how to work a computer and debug it. I'm sure he won't get into too much trouble using the standards. But I will ask that he doesn't do something crazy like, for instance, use it _to play a pirated copy of a highly disruptive video game._" The last words were grated out, the metal man slowly turning to glare menacingly at Beastboy.

"Hehe, my bad?" the changling offered weakly, looking to distract his friend. "Thanks for understanding, Ron. It means a lot to Rufus."

"Yeah, he's always wanted one, but I never got around to asking Wade to build him something," Ron scratched his head absent mindedly. Shego's eyes narrowed suspiciously and she turned to catch the same look on Kim's face. _Giving the rat a computer? That sounds suspiciously like a bribe to me. A very _big _bribe at that. But why?_ Though no words were spoken, she was certain that Kim was asking the same question, and would probably seek her out later to discuss the odd turn of events. _Hopefully she'll come... Damnit! Son of a-!_

The Titans assembled gave the emerald woman strange looks as she proceeded to bang her head against the table.

_~A Bank in Jump City~_

"Why do I get the feeling that this was a _really_ bad idea?" See More whined, searching the faces of his accomplices for some sort of answer. Gizmo was too busy working on opening the vault door to answer and both Mammoth and Hive Cadet were reluctant to admit they had the same bad feeling. But they'd been golden so far. All the guards were knocked out, the security systems were disabled without incident, and they had made it to the vault within the five minute window they had allotted. Now, if they could get the door open and get out with the money within the _next_ five minutes, they'd be away and scot free.

Which is _exactly_ why they were so nervous. The Titans just _had_ to know they were there. So why hadn't they shown up yet? Each of the team (except Gizmo, of course) was ready for them to pop up any minute.

"Finally! Stinkin' security piece o'..." Gizmo trailed off, muttering to himself as the other three dashed in to grab the loot. After securing as much as they could, the four bolted out the vault, down the hall and through the front door. Their getaway vehicle was just a block away. This was so easy, it just had to end, but as the four made the final turn, their destination in sight, and it looked like they might win after all. Of course, by this point, people had started shouting, seeing four wanted criminals sprinting down the street with bags of what could only be money. And they were so close to getting away!

"Hehehe, guess the stinkin' Titans have the day off!" Gizmo laughed, landing in the driver's seat as the others hopped in, incredulous as to their luck.

"Unfortunately for you, they do!" a distinctly feminine voice the four had never heard before called out to them clearly. As one, four heads turned to the top of a nearby building, where four figures stood. Black tied the four together but each had a distinctive color: red, blue, green and purple. "Guess you're stuck with us!"

See More groaned. "I _knew_ this was a bad idea!"

"Nice outfits," Mammoth grumbled.

"Who the heck are you stinkin' jerks?" Gizmo demanded.

"Oh us?" the green figure laughed, obviously a female, helmet tilting to the side. The purple stepped forward, striking perhaps the most generic hero pose.

"We're Team Possible!" in unison, the four figures raised their right fists into the air. "And we can do _anything!_"

**That was so stupid.**

**Shego, not now!**

As Gizmo attempted to hit the gas, the car abruptly died, thanks to a blast from a ray hidden within Drakken's coat. With a growl, he attempted to activate his backpack but it wouldn't respond. "Crud! Was that a friggin' electronic wave disruptor! You stinkin' jerk!"

Realizing that it was a lost cause, See More activated his eye, the one that allowed him to float. "Later guys, it's been fun!"

"Coward!" Mammoth called out, leaping out of the car with Hive Cadet.

**Princess, I think they want to dance.**

**Then let's boogie!**

**I'm fairly certain we should be keeping this line clear for _important_ conversations.**

**Shut up Drakken.**

**Yes Ma'am.**

**Uh, guys? They're moving.**

**Great. Shego, you take eyeball. R-, uh, I mean, Triple M, you take the one with the shield. Doc, finish off the kid. I've got big, bad, and ugly.** "Team Possible, let's hit it!"

**Lame.**

**Later!**

It happened almost too fast for the former Hive Five members to register everything. They could barely focus on their own opponent. See More was barely one hundred feet in the air when Shego cut him off, a strong punch to the gut deflating his eyeball rather effectively. She caught him by the collar before he could land with a rather nasty splat on the pavement and just hovered midair.

"Seriously, how could _anyone_ consider you idiots a threat?"

"You don't have to be mean about it."

"Obviously, you don't know who you're talking to, bug eye."

Kim and Ron had leapt down, landing with a flourish as their respective opponents charged. Kim enjoyed the feeling of fighting alongside her old partner though she wished it was Shego instead. She carefully kept the thought away from the front of her mind though. She didn't need the added distraction. Mammoth was enough to entertain her, for a while anyway. He managed to throw two punches, which she easily dodged, before her elbow found his solar plexus, knocking the wind of out him. He lowered his head just enough for Kim to bring down hand in a knife's edge on the back of his neck. The young man hit the ground with a satisfying thud. Kim turned, ready to save Ron's life, only to find him finishing off the Hive Cadet with a simian howl. **Guess that meditation thing paid off, huh?**

**Heh, guess so.** Shego watched from above, thinking. _What did she ever see in him? I'm twice the partner- God I need a lobotomy._

"Crud!" Gizmo tried to run but even Drakken could catch the miniature terror without his precious toys to help him. "You'll never-" A simple flick of his wrist activated the Catatonia Inducer Cyborg and Drakken had managed to construct into the glove of his left hand.

**Are we done here? Drakken called out, holding an unconscious Gizmo by his backpack.**

**Yeah, that should be it. Hope we stalled long enough for-**

"Team Possible!" _Great, gel boy's back in action._ Shego landed next to the rest of the 'team' and deposited the still conscious See More next to his rather unconscious teammates.

"Move from that spot and I'm giving you a plasma enema, got it?" Shego growled before joining the other three. Four helmets looked up to where the Titans were arriving 'conveniently' late, Beastboy depositing Cyborg before regaining his human form and Starfire setting Robin down gingerly. _Do we really need all this pretention? I thought Drakken put on a show but this is borderline ridiculous. _"Thanks for covering for us, Possibles. We'll take it from here."

"Actually, Robin, we have a bit of a favor to ask," Kim's voice sounded steady and clear. But Shego knew better. _She hates this as much as I do. But, appearances must be kept._ "We need a place to crash for a little while. Mind if we hang out here?"

"Not at all. You are all welcomed as Honorary Titans." _Whoop-dee-friggin'-doo. Tell me something I don't know, Chief._ Robin produced four of the iconic Titans' communicators, handing them to each of the team. Attaching the yellow objects to their belts, each reached up to disengage their helmets. As a quick amendment, they'd borrowed some extra masks from Robin and wore them now, keeping their 'identities' secret. _I still don't understand this. If the holo-ring can change my appearance, what does it matter? Whatever._ "Welcome to Jump City, Team Possible."

"Good to be here, Robin," Kim gave one of her brightest smiles, and without looking Shego knew some guys, and probably girls too, were already star struck by the heroine. _And I can't blame them. She's beautiful._ Though it briefly occurred to her what she'd just thought, Shego decided to just deny it for now. She could deal with it later.

Once the little public display was over, all nine headed back to Titans' Tower to celebrate. By Shego's demand, they had pizza (as payback) and spent a good while just talking about stupid villains, heroes (in Drakken's case) and both (in Shego's case), not to mention dragging to light the brief instances where Ron was turned evil.

"I hate you, all," Ron mumbled, stalking away from the table. Everyone was too busy laughing at trying to picture him as an evil genius.

"S-someone should go after him, heh, make sure he's not taking it too hard," Kim managed, nervously taking another bite of her pizza. _Not it._ Another chair scooted back and Terra was standing.

"I'll, uh, go talk to him!" As the blonde disappeared to follow the angry boy, the conversation eventually died and the Titans started drifting off. Though it was early in the day, the strain of using her plasma for so long had Shego exhausted and she retired early. As she laid in her bed, staring at her ceiling once more, Shego reflected over the past few months. _Why am I becoming so obsessive over her? It's not like… it can't be anything more than a mutual understanding or something like that. We're… not friends… but not really enemies either… What if it's more than that?_ The emerald woman tried hard to fall asleep but her thoughts refused to let her.

~At the Water's Edge~

Ron stared out across the bay, watching as lights came on the city escaped into the neon sunrise. He'd been staring across the water for hours, sitting on the biggest rock he could find. Less chance of falling into the water that way. Like he needed another reason for the others to tease him. "Who am I kidding? I'm not cut out to be a Titan."

"I used to say the same thing," a soft, feminine voice called out, catching the blonde's attention effectively. He twisted around to just stare at Terra, shock evident on his face.

"H-how long have you been standing there?" he stammered, a slight blush staining his cheeks. He assumed someone would come looking for him eventually, but he didn't expect Terra. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, the young woman in question pushed off the tree she'd been leaning against and approached him, climbing the rock to sit next to Ron.

"For an hour or so. I know what it's like, to just watch the city from here, wonder where you fit in when everything seems to be already pieced together. I hated when people disturbed my thinking… but I loved that they cared enough to disturb me," her blue eyes were shimmering softly, gaze fixed on the city before them. Ron nodded and stared with her, watching as the nightlife of Jump City began anew.

"Thanks for coming. I just, ya know," Ron shrugged. Terra just laughed and shook her head.

"I'm not a mind reader, I can't know until you let me," she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, causing Ron to meet those beautiful blue orbs. He thought about brushing it off, laughing about it, something that would keep her from being concerned about him, something that would make him look like he was tougher, stronger than he actually was. But in that moment, Ronald Stoppable lost the will to pretend, to lie, to put on the show he'd kept up for so long.

"I've been Kim's best friend for years. I've always known she was stronger than me, braver than me, everything I wanted to be but never could accomplish. Being around her though, it made me feel like I was stronger, braver, smarter, like she made me a better person. Every mission we went on, I was terrified. I hated it. I was so glad when she retired, but I could never bring myself to tell her," Ron ran a hand through his hair, letting out all his frustration. "Then she left for college and I lost my strength. I thought I was going to go back to being the pushover I had always been. But I didn't. I don't know why, but when things came up, rather than shrink away and hide like I did whenever Kim was around, I started to step up. I grew up, matured; I suddenly had ambition and drive. Without Kim as my shield, I learned to stand on my own, fight my own battles." Ron's muddy brown eyes held a severe sheen to them, reminding Terra of a mountain during a storm. "But I'm still just as terrified of this as I was back then. I'm not cut out to be a hero. I don't want to be a Titan."

Ron sensed the heavy finality of his words, knowing he could never, and didn't want, to take them back. But it was the truth. Ron didn't seek out danger, he didn't look for trouble, and he enjoyed an 'exciting time' being the definition of a day at the carnival. He wasn't a superhero. He wasn't even a hero. He was just a sidekick who'd gotten lucky several times and didn't need to push his luck somewhere people were perfectly willing to _kill_ him. He was scared and he had every right to be, damnit!

"I guess it wouldn't help then if I said I look up to you, huh?" Terra's voice was shy and soft, to the point where Ron almost believed he hadn't actually heard anything. But the soft blush on his companion's cheeks ensured she'd spoken the words. Ron's incredulous stare was eventually taken as an inquiry and Terra obliged, keeping her eyes trained on the city. "It's like Raven said. There's more to the title than just fighting." Clearing her throat slightly, her blue eyes darted to his a moment before focusing on the horizon once more. "You're loyal to your friend, and brave beyond anything I can imagine, and you're strong to keep fighting, especially when you don't want to. That takes something more than a superpower. That's why… that's why I think you're a _real_ Titan. More than I'll ever be."

"Hey, don't say that," Ron instantly interjected, turning to face her with concern evident in his eyes. "Look, I understand you made a mistake. I've made plenty, so has everyone in this Tower, this world! We all learn from them but we don't always try to fix them. What you're doing, learning to control your powers the right way, you didn't have to do that. You could've run away, like you did the first time. But you didn't. You turned to face your past and fight."

"Is that so much better though?" Terra's smile had fallen as had her hair, now slightly curtaining off her face. Ron reached forward and brushed her hair back so he could look her in the eyes.

"I think it is." He gave her his trademark goofy grin. "You're just as scared as I am and you're fighting just as hard. We're two of a kind, I guess."

"Maybe," she conceded with a slight smile on her lips. Ron returned her smile and leaned back, trying to think of something else to say. They sat in that comfortable silence for nearly half an hour, just watching the other, until Terra broke it. "Would you, uh, would you like to see what I can do?"

"Absolutely," Ron replied without hesitation. Terra's gaze faltered, her confidence shrinking the more she thought about it.

"Are you sure? I-I'm still not all that-"

"I believe in you," Ron stated, standing up and offering her his hand. "Part of being friends is trusting one another, right?"

Terra raised her hand to take his but stopped halfway through, not daring to meet his eyes. "How can you trust me?"

Ron just smiled. "How can I not?"

_~Down in the Tower's Garage~_

"But you do see where I'm coming from, right?" Drakken called out over his shoulder, barely taking his eyes off his latest gadget. If he managed to finish it, the device would allow for a stealth capability for both Kim and Shego's suits. "I mean, there's no way I can even compete! All I can do is this. At least _you_ can blast people who tick you off."

"Drew, I think you're looking at this in the wrong context," Cyborg set down the holo-ring he was working on and turned to face the blue skinned man beside him. "Just because you're not good at hand-to-hand combat doesn't make you any less of a hero than the others."

"You don't get it though. It's like I'm always behind them in everything. Even villainy!" Drakken set down his work and groaned. "On the few occasions the bu- Stoppable or Possible turned evil, they _always_ managed to make me look like an idiot! It's not just now, Vic, it's always been like this!"

Cyborg stayed silent a moment before decided on his words, choosing carefully. "I always thought I was the odd man out too. Not the same way though. I can be rebuilt, added to, taken away from, customized for whatever I might need to do. Half man and half machine, not really one or the other. I'll never be like Robin, or even BB. Yet, here I am." A metallic hand came to rest on Drakken's shoulder, a confident grin on the younger man's lips. "Thing is, you'll always be different. That doesn't mean you're not part of the team though. You took down Gizmo just like everyone else took down their targets!"

"Okay, take no offense, that kid was a joke," Drakken eyed his comrade critically. "I thought you said he was brilliant with a far advanced technological array."

"Hey, I'm half machine, I can't exactly carry around weapons that eliminate electronic impulses, okay?" Cyborg replied, crossing his arms. "Just because you're a little bit more versatile with your gadgets than I am doesn't mean you get to rub my face in it!"

Drakken stared at his friend for a long moment before breaking down in a long fit of laughter. After demanding to know why, the good doctor had to wipe an errant tear from his eye before answering. "I swear, I've said something similar to Shego a time or two. Now I know why she always teases me; the reaction is so fun!" Drakken sighed, returning to his work. "I guess I can take solace in the fact that I helped make those two stronger." He suddenly looked up. "I should tell them their suits have a self destruction function."

"But they don't."

"Oh, I know," Drakken replied, a smirk on his face. "I just thought it would be funny to see how they react."

"Either you're turning evil again or you're one mean practical joker," the metal teen returned to his own work.

"More of the second than the first. Plus, it would be an excellent beginning to the pay back those two have accumulated."

_~Starfire's Room~_

"I am sorry, friend, but I do not understand," the alien's bright green orbs conveyed all the confusion evident in her voice. "What exactly is it that confuses you so?"

"That's the thing, I'm not really sure," Kim stated, scratching her head nervously. She had thought the Titan to be the most approachable of the residents of Titans' Tower. However, she hadn't anticipated Starfire being unable to fully comprehend what was being asked. "I mean, I'm just… not sure of… well…"

"Kim, I am sorry to disappoint you, but perhaps you seek help from a more experienced source," she floated over to Kim, and broad smile on her face. "I am not well versed in the ways of Earth. You should talk to Robin; he is very knowledgeable and understanding."

"I guess it couldn't hurt…" Kim relented, biding the alien farewell as she stepped into the hallway. Pulling the yellow communicator off her belt, the redhead quickly located where the fearless leader had gone. "I can't believe this. What am I going to say?"

_~Somewhere above the Bay~_

Ron Stoppable, who had jumped from planes and repelled down cliff faces, watched in total awe as the water seemed to slightly ripple with their passing. The large boulder they had been sitting on was now skimming along the surface, controlled by the young woman currently wrapped up in his arms. He had quickly explained that, as they were on a large rock, they lacked the necessary seatbelts, so hanging on to Terra for dear life was his only option. Though she had blushed furiously, the Titan didn't complain, allowing Ron to wrap his arms around her waist. It was like riding a motorcycle, except less safety equipment and, strangely, he felt much safer.

"Well? What do ya think?" Terra called over her shoulder, having to speak loudly so the wind wouldn't snatch away her words.

"What do I think? This is amazing!" Ron cried, unintentionally squeezing Terra in the process. The boulder dipped slightly but she quickly recovered, rising high into the air, quickly gaining altitude as Ron continued to marvel at the experience. Once they were at a sufficient height, Terra stopped the climb, allowing them to just look around and drink in the beauty of the evening. "I can't believe you wouldn't want to do this every day."

"It's harder than it looks," Terra offered, smirking shyly. "The bay is pretty at night."

"It is," Ron replied. "You know, you remind me a little of this cheerleader I know. Funny too, her name was Tara."

"Oh? Was she your girlfriend?" Terra kept her tone surprisingly steady and was put a bit at ease by Ron's chuckle.

"No, I wish though. Turns out, she did have a crush on me for a while, but I was oblivious to it. Nothing came of it. But I always thought she was pretty," Ron summoned his courage, eager not to repeat past mistakes. "Terra, Cyborg said the new holo-rings should be done in a few days. When I get mine, would you, I dunno, wanna go… see a movie?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," Terra replied, blushing furiously. She didn't dare face the young man behind her though the rock they were standing on did drop a few feet. "What, uh, what kinda movie do you have in mind?"

"Well, usually I'm more of a comedy or action guy, but, well, all things considered," Ron swallowed, slightly in disbelief at what he was about to say. "I think I'd like a… romance."

While part of her kept thinking 'oh God that was corny' another part of the young woman was swooning. She'd never been the girly girl type but she was fairly certain Ron was only saying that for the implication. They would probably wind up watching _Killing Frenzy 3: Thirst For Blood_ or something like that. Terra couldn't help but feel like the world around her was falling as she thought about what would occur on this date. She was told she'd briefly dated Beastboy, but she didn't remember it and she couldn't very well remember what to do. Suddenly, it occurred to her that Ron was holding her tighter than he had been, and screaming. She wasn't sure why until she saw that they were, in fact, falling. Terra had lost her concentration, and therefore, their stable place in the sky.

"Oops!" Terra quickly regained control of the rock but couldn't quite stop their rapid decent. With a loud splash, the two teen found themselves floating in the middle of the bay, their former rock transport sinking to the depths below them. Blushing furiously, Terra kept her blue eyes focused on the water, not wanting to meet Ron's most likely ticked off gaze. "I-I'm so sorry, I-"

"Why are you sorry?" Ron started laughing, shaking his head and sending drops of water all over. "It's been a while since I went swimming anyway." Terra looked up, expecting sarcasm or annoyance, but was met with a goofy grin. "Does this mean I get to say I 'rocked your world'?" The comment earned him a laugh from the blonde floating in front of him.

"Didn't that scare you?"

"Well, yeah, but there aren't any alligators here, right? Definite improvement over the last few times I've been near water."

"Oh?" Terra laughed, starting to swim for the Tower. "There are sharks, though."

"Say what?" Ron visibly blanched, then starting swimming like crazy for the shore of the Tower. Terra only laughed. Strange, what fate had in store for the Titans.

_~The Tower Training Room~_

"I don't see- ugh- where this is- hn- going," Robin hadn't bothered stopping his training simulation, listening to Kim's question while dodging blows from his robotic enemies. "If there's- ugh- nothing wrong then- huh- what's the problem?"

"That's just it, Robin, I'm not sure!" Kim hid her face in her hands a moment, trying to sort through what she'd been trying to ask. "I just don't _know_ any more and I'm not sure if it's because I know it's right or afraid it's wrong!"

"Listen, Kim," Robin landed a well placed blow to one of his targets, simultaneously knocking the other to the ground as the first fell, disabled. "I've learned that grey areas exist in our line of work. What you have to decide is whether or not it's grey because it might be wrong on a moral level or- grah- just a large amount of uncertainty attached to it!" Robin had been nearly caught by the second of his attackers but slipped away. "Maybe you should- hn- talk to Raven. She's better at this sort of- huh- stuff!"

"Yeah, alright, I'll go find Raven," Kim sighed, running a hand through her hair. She was certain she'd have found the answer by now if she only knew the question! In defeat, the teen heroine went off in search of yet another source of wisdom.

_~Beastboy's Room~_

"Uh, say what?" the changling gave Shego a questioning look, seating on top of his bunk bed. _Oh this is going to take forever._

"Look, we're green, so we've probably had some of the same life experiences, right?" Shego's exasperation was showing quite plainly in her tone, causing Beastboy to slump slightly on the bed. "Now, what I'm asking is, do you think you could live without being a superhero? Could you live as just a regular person?" _Here goes…_ "Could you give it all up?"

"Well, gee, I think so. I mean, I wouldn't want to do it alone. I like my friends, even Jinx, and I wouldn't give that up for the world. But could I stop being a hero? Yeah, no problem," a single fang showed in his smile. "Anything else you want to know?"

"… No, that's it," Shego turned, ready to leave the messy living space.

"Hey, that's not cool," Beastboy growled, giving her a severe look when she turned to face him. "I don't lie to you; you shouldn't lie to me."

"Wha-, who says I'm-" _Damnit! Is he a mindreader too?_

"Pheromones, Shego. I can smell them easily and, despite the changes to your biology, you're just as Human as almost everyone in this Tower." _Great, he can smell deceit. Wonderful._ "I don't know what you're trying to ask me, but it isn't working. Maybe you should talk to someone you're more comfortable with."

"Like who?" Shego snapped, backing towards the door. _Last thing I need is a ticked off triceratops trying to kill me._ Beastboy scratched his chin before snapping.

"Like, maybe, Jinx, who could probably relate on more than a we-have-the-same-skin-color basis?" _Actually, he has a valid point._

"I'll consider it." Instead of getting the reactions she was used to, Shego was given a cocky grin from the changling.

"Right. Whatever you say, Shego." With one foot out into the hallway, the emerald former villainess shot the young man a vicious look.

"Damn straight."

_~Back to the Garage~_

"That's weird," Cyborg mumbled, though not loud enough for Drakken to hear. Instead, the metal teen gave a more audible reply. "You don't say? That's a good sign; Raven usually doesn't like talking to people."

"She seemed absolutely charming when I was talking to her," Drakken prattled on, summarizing the conversation. "And you wouldn't believe this, but Kim actually had the gall to think you Titans were up to something! Absolutely rude, if you ask me."

"Yeah…" Cyborg stared at the new holo-ring. "Why would Kim think something was up?"

"Oh, Com was asking her questions too, not quite sure what about, but I'm sure she'd just overreacting."

"Huh, yeah, you're right," Cyborg stealthily opened his arm computer and typed in a few things before closing it again. "She's probably just high strung because of the current situation. Trust me, I don't know of any Titan that would try to do you guys harm."

_~The Common Room~_

"You seriously gave up a chance to hang with the greatest supervillains of this world for _that_?" Shego hiked her thumb towards the other side of the room, where Kid Flash was trying his damndest to beat some videa game or other. Jinx sighed and nodded, a wistful smile on her lips.

"In retrospect, the best decision by far, but at the moment, it was either become someone's pawn, disrespected and expendable, or stand up for myself. Betraying Rouge was more about earning respect than about any romantic feelings I had for Wally."

"They didn't hurt though!" the young man called from the couch, still focusing most of his attention on the screen. Jinx rolled her eyes, still smiling. _Yeah, I know how you feel._

"_Anyway_, I didn't make the choice to go good until a while after. Really, the only difference I can see between the two is that one is all about action and the other, reaction. Bad guys jump, good guys jump too. I mean, yeah, not worrying about stupid laws and all that is fun but it comes at a cost," Jinx motioned around the room. "In the Hive Academy, I never felt as welcomed as I do here. Villains…"

"Can always betray you," Shego finished for her, a sad smile on her lips. _That's right, villains barely trust other villains, so how could a hero trust one?_ "Do they think you'll betray them?"

"No," Jinx replied simply, looking to her boyfriend seated on the couch. "They know if I do anything bad, he'll make me regret it. It's a funny thing, ya know? I've come to trust him, rely on him, so much that, if I were to lose that, I'd be lost." Shego bit her tongue. _Yeah, I know _exactly_ what you mean._ The purple tinged teen just shrugged. "Guess that's what they call 'commitment'."

_~Roof of Titans' Tower~_

"Should we help them?" Kim's concern was obvious, watching the two figures making their way slowly to their shore. Raven sighed and shook her head.

"I think they'd prefer thinking no one was watching when that happened," Raven voice still held too little inflection for Kim's liking. "They lack confidence. Once they have sufficient confidence within, they will be able to master their powers. Undermining that will only prolong their discomfort with being Titans." Violet eyes glanced Kim's way, surprisingly vibrant in the moon light. "I'm surprised you are taking this so well."

"I'm happy for him," Kim replied truthfully, smiling at the two figures far below. They'd nearly made it back to the shore, stopping now and then for rest before Ron's fear would propel him forward, Terra following. "I was worried I might've really messed him up. It's good to see him flirting."

"I see," Raven mulled it over a second before finishing her thought. "So she's not your type?"

"No, she's cute, don't get me wrong, but I just don't care much for blondes," Kim sighed, propping her chin in her hand. "I know it's superficial but it's true." Raven just stared down at the water, unsure if she'd just heard correctly. After a moment of silence, Kim spoke, a hint of amusement to her tone. "You thought I was going to deny it, didn't you?"

"Well, yes, I did," Raven replied, not bothering to feign some sort of superiority or arrogance. She was genuinely surprised. "I didn't know you were open about your sexuality. Com said you'd gotten upset when-"

"That was completely different," Kim snapped, her tone instantly softening as she continued. "What Com was suggesting just… irked me."

"What, exactly, was it that 'irked' you?" Kim thought a long moment, trying to organize her thoughts, the same ones that had been keeping her up the past few nights. Finally, she decided that it was now or never.

"First, she tried saying Shego was a coward. That's not true, I've seen what she can do, she knows exactly what she wants and makes sure it happens, she doesn't let anyone stand in her way. She's fearless and courageous and I didn't appreciate Com implying otherwise," Kim took and a breath, trying to keep her anger from rising once more. "Then she tried implying that Shego was just using me as a clever excuse to save the world, play the hero while conveniently staying out of the spotlight. Again, like she's some sort of coward. It was highly insulting."

"But not to you," Raven turned her violet eyes on the young redhead. "What exactly are your feelings for Shego? Is she just your enemy, your rival, or something else altogether?"

They were still sitting at the edge of the roof, the same spot Kim had nearly collided into earlier that day. It was a beautiful night and Kim had originally come here to sort out her own feelings but found Raven meditating and chose to talk through the confliction within her. Only now it seemed like the words just would not form. They sat in silence for a while, just watching the waves, one thinking of what to say, the other preparing to reply.

"She's my other half," Kim was nearly whispering, tears beginning to sting her eyes. "I know her better than anyone, sometimes I think better than myself, and I know she knows me the same way. Every time we fight, there's no surprise, from almost that first moment we know the fight will end. One way or another, it will end, and I always get the feeling like that's the part we can't stand the most. It doesn't even matter who wins. For those moments when we're locked together, wrestling for dominance, fighting for control, a mix of thrill and necessity and passion, it's what I imagine…" Kim suddenly stopped, a slight blush staining her cheeks. While she was being rather open about her sexuality, which she had learned during her brief stint at college, Kim Possible was still unsure if she should be speaking so candidly about the subject itself. Luckily, Raven understood and gave her a bigger smile than the redhead had ever seen grace those lips. She couldn't help but feel reassured and decided to continue, glad to have someone to confide in after so long. "She's my challenge, my strength and weakness, and the worst part is I'm just a fight to her. I know we see each other as equals, though she'll never admit that out loud, but she doesn't see me as a potential… anything. She just sees her rival. Always will." Without warning the redhead suddenly deflated. "That's what I've been struggling with, Raven. It's been driving me crazy, because I don't like that she's a villain, the stealing and such, but that's the only reason I know her, so how can I forgive her past wrong and disapprove of future ones? It's hypocritical! Yeah, she's playing the superhero now, and I love working _with_ her, but once we're back in Middleton, it goes back to the old way. She planned that party for me I would go back to being a hero. That's why Com got under my skin. 'There is no Shego without Kim Possible.'" She did her best impersonation, hoping the anger would keep the rest of her emotions in check. Kim suddenly stood up, nearly falling over the edge in the process but retaining her balance while her companion remained seated. "I-I've been thinking about it every day. For now, here, while we're on the same team, it wouldn't be a problem to tell her how I feel. But once we go back- and we will go back, no matter what you believe your vision means- whatever we have will be over. Shego doesn't want to be a hero and I can't be a villain. Attempting a relationship while on different sides would be a conflict of interest and that could be exploited by either side, or worse, _both_ sides."

"So this is more of a moral quandary for you rather than an emotional one?" the smallest trace of doubt in her tone made what should've been a statement a question instead. Kim nodded, noting in the back of her mind that Ron and Terra had made it ashore, two small dots far, far below. "And here I thought you needed help getting out of the closet."

"Nah. I was going to tell them over break, you know. My parents, the tweebs, Ron, Monique; Wade already knows but that's because I accidently rolled onto my Kimmunicator one night and, well…" Raven was expecting a blush, and while she was right with that, the wistful smile that came with it did surprise her. "Let's just say, the picture was worth more than a thousand words."

"So what are you going to do?" Raven levitated so that she and Kim were eye level, bright green meeting somber violet. "The way I see it, you have two paths ahead of you. One, you tell Shego how you feel and go from there. Two, you keep it to yourself and never know what could have been."

For a long moment, neither faltered, just staring at each other, until finally Kim broke and turned towards the roof access door. "I'll take option two. If we try to be people we aren't, it'll destroy us both. Even if all I'll ever be is her rival, it's better than being nothing at all. I can't tell Shego how I feel."

"I thought you could do anything?" Whether it was meant to be mocking or a legitimate concern that she was making the wrong decision, Kim couldn't be sure. And she had to convince herself that she didn't care.

_~Back to the Common Room~_

"Do we even want to know?" Kid Flash asked, staring rather intently at the two soaked blondes entering through the main door. Jinx held the same curious expression but with the added hint of amusement. Ron and Terra exchanged a look.

"What, you've never been skinny dipping before?" Ron tried to play it off, heading towards his room with a small grin.

"Well, yeah, but don't you take your clothes off to go skinny dipping?" Kid Flash cocked his head to the side while Jinx rolled her eyes. Terra just dashed past Ron out of the room, a furious blush covering her face. Ron, who had temporarily forgotten that little detail, shrugged and just went with it.

"Maybe in your world. We play by different rules in Middleton."

"Really?"

"Yup." Ron exited the room, leaving a confused Kid Flash as Jinx busted out laughing.

_~Beastboy's Room~_

"Well, buddy, she's in some serious denial. I don't know _what _is going on in her head," Beastboy sighed, clicking to the next page on his computer screen. "How about this one?"

Rufus looked at the picture, tilted his head, squinted, then tried the other side, and finally gave out a negative squeak. Beastboy nodded, moving on to the next picture of a naked mole rat for sale at a local pet store.

"Okay, how about- nevermind, this one is male… unless," the green Titan raised a brow, looking down at the naked mole rat. Rufus gave an indignant growl, glaring at Beastboy. "Hey, you don't have to be so rude, you know. Closed mindedness is not very becoming." Rufus rolled his eyes and motioned for Beastboy to cycle to the next picture. "I still don't understand why you don't simply do this in your room if you're going to shoot down all my advice."

Rufus scratched behind his head and looked away, offering a muttered reply. His Human(ish) friend just shook his head.

"You are mature by animal standards, completely capable of making your own decisions. Just because Ron is your 'father' figure, and I am using this term very loosely, I'll have you know, doesn't mean you should pull the standard teenager option of keeping your love life hidden until absolutely necessary. I'm sure Ron would approve of you looking for a mate, or at the very least dating around." Rufus just stared at Beastboy until he was done, then gave a quick reply, which earned him a sigh. "Yes, I'm done now. I swear, between the five of you, there has to be a lot of awards from theatre." Rufus gave him a questioning look. "You know, for all the _drama_ you guys insist on having."

_~Common Room, a few hours later~_

"I hate the night shift," Com grumbled, monitoring the alarm system Cyborg and Robin had designed, keeping her eyes trained for any sign of disturbance within the city. The program monitored police frequencies, radio frequencies, emergency phone lines, the logging database from all hospitals, police stations, and fire departments, not to mention several miscellaneous alarm systems spread out over the city, and, of course, the security system for Titans' Tower and access codes for the communicators. Needless to say, staring at the lines of data gave the super soldier a rather intense headache. As she sat back, Commando allowed her mind to drift slightly until it caught onto a particularly odd train of thought. As she followed the train, making sure to take in the 'scenery' of the issue, her eyes caught a peculiar line of data streaming across the screen. "Well, there are some benefits to this duty."

With a flick of her wrist, Com activated a communicator alarm.

_*~Random Location within Jump City~*_

_Damnit! Where the Hell did they go?_ Shego growled, flying around a corner and searching for her quarry. She couldn't remember details about the bank robbery they were sent to investigate, mostly due to the fact she'd been roused from her sound slumber by that blasted communicator Robin had issued her, but she knew without question whom she was looking for even if she didn't know the names. _They couldn't have gotten that far! I just know it! Damnit! I want to go back to sleep!_ Shego pulled a quick turn and zipped down an alleyway, using all the power she had to maneuver quickly through the maze of alleys.

"Shego!" a familiar voice called out, though it sounded garbled and distorted. _Kimmie? Where is she?_ Shego was about to open her mouth when she spotted a flare of red around the corner, seemingly sucked into an abandoned building. Without a second thought, the emerald woman landed a few feet away and charged in, barreling into the door and busting it open. Oddly enough, she felt no pain. _Must be the upgrades. Gotta love a real super suit._

"Shego!" Kim called again, still sounding distorted but also more panicked than before. _What's got her worried? Damnit, Princess, you better be alright!_ Shego charged down a corridor, following the sound of Kim's voice, briefly wondering where the rest of the Titans were but suddenly not caring. There was a door at the end of the hallway, the only other door she'd seen since entering the building. Running as fast as she could, Shego jumped and full on drop kicked the door, managing to go straight through it, sending splinters of wood everywhere. _Oh yes, I love this suit!_

But whatever little personal victory or happiness she might've felt at the thought suddenly melted away. Shego stared in horror, her eyes unable to look away. Kim was there, on the ground, bright red hair fanned around her, bright green eyes fully open… but unseeing as the pool of blood grew larger. On unsteady legs, Shego approached the fallen hero, trying to pinpoint the wound that had taken her Princess away, but there was nothing she could see beyond those lifeless green eyes. Once she got close enough, Shego dropped to the ground and gathered her fallen Princess up in her arms, hugging the now deceased woman to her chest. The sorrow in Shego's chest was unbearable but she couldn't find the words to scream in anger and frustration or moan in despair. She couldn't even find the ability to cry. She was lost and empty and hollow. Her Kimmie was gone.

"Shego!" Shego didn't bother turning around; she knew Robin's voice by now, no matter how distorted it was. She didn't look up, not even after he walked around to in front of her. Starfire was with him. _Go away. Let me grieve._ But they didn't leave. Instead, Starfire bent over and pulled Kim away from Shego while Robin took hold of her wrists. Before she could process it, the mighty former villainess was in handcuffs. Robin spoke again, though this time his voice lacked the distortion she'd heard earlier. "You are under arrest for the murder of Kimberly Ann Possible."

_No. No! NO!_ Shego wanted to voice her protest, to light up her plasma and torch the entire city until she found whoever took away her Pumpkin, but she felt herself dragged away, back through the door, her eyes unable to leave the sight of the dead Kim Possible, eyes still wide open, limp and empty in Starfire's arms. _No! She can't be dead! She trusted me! I WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HER! NO!_

_~Shego's room~_

"NO!" Shego sat bolt upright in her bed, screaming as loud as her lungs allowed, beads of cold sweat covering her body. Out of pure panic, Shego threw the covers back and leapt out of bed, running out the door and down the hall to Kim's door. She quickly keyed the door open, not even surprised the door hadn't been locked properly, and dashed into the room. Suddenly, her breath caught in her throat as tears threatened to fall for there, lying peacefully asleep in her pink and purple bed, was Kim Possible. _She's alive… Oh thank God she's alive!_ Shego crept back out of the room and leaned against the closed door, sighing almost happily. _Must've been a nightmare. Oh God, what a terrible dream!_ Shego eventually made it back to her room, taking the time to wipe away the irrational tears that had been just waiting to fall. _Damnit, what the Hell is wrong with me?_ Once back into the supposed safety of her room, the emerald woman started to sit down on her bed when her communicator started beeping. After examining it a moment, she noticed that it functioned a lot like a cell phone, indicating she'd missed an alert already. _That must've been what triggered that damn nightmare. Piece of shit!_ Growling about the infernal device, and rather put off from sleeping, Shego stormed her way down to the kitchen.

"Can't sleep?" a downright jovial tone called out from one of the computers in the common room, earning Shego's misplaced wrath.

"Yeah, what of it?" she snapped, rounding to see Com sitting rather comfortably with a mug of something hot in her hand. The super soldier glanced away from the computer screen and looked Shego in the eye, then let her gaze travel the full course of the emerald woman's body before returning to enraged emerald orbs, the broadest grin on her face.

"Uh, you should consider getting a robe or some jammies once Cy finishes your holo-ring. I'm sure it will save the guys from getting, well, blasted to Kingdom Come… or going there on their own." While Com laughed behind her mug, Shego took the time to glance down and remember what she was wearing. _Oh, right… bra and panties. Wonderful._ "For what it's worth, you are quite the stunner."

"Save your breath, soldier boy, I'm taken." _I am? When did that happen and how come I'm just now finding out!_ Com seemed to pick up on the internal confliction and just shrugged.

"Hey, who you love is your business, I was just giving out a compliment."

"Noted. Now, can you tell me why this thing says I have a missed alert?" Shego tossed the communicator over to the Titan, who pretended to look it over.

"Oh, must be the bug. We have this guy who tries to hack the system every now and again; he might've tried to mess with your communicator thinking to trick you or something. Trust me, when we get called out, there's no sleeping through it," Com tossed it back to Shego, who had strategically placed the counter between them, blocking most of the emerald beauty's body from the soldier's view. "I hope it didn't wake you."

"Well, it gave me the worst nightmare of my life which did wake me up, so there's that," Shego grumbled, sighing as she ran her hands through her hair. "What time is it?"

"Uh, zero-four-hundred."

"Which for normal people is…?"

"Four in the morning." _That explains why I feel like shit! But after that dream… I don't know if I _want_ to go back to sleep. I need something to take my mind off this…_

"Thirsty?" Com's voice startled Shego out of her reverie. Somehow, the soldier had managed to make her way to the counter without Shego noticing. Normally, that would've ticked off the former villainess but, at the moment, there were worst things on her mind, things she desperately wanted to not think about. It was then that she noticed what Com was offering her: a camo colored flask. While she accepted the token, Shego eyed her companion warily as she took a hearty sip.

"Drinking on the job? And here I thought you were part of the _Teen_ Titans?" she took another generous sip, savoring the taste on her tongue. _Oh, God, it's been a while since I've had straight Vodka. Delicious though._ Commando laughed with a shrug.

"For the record, I haven't been drinking anything except some hot chocolate," Com frowned. "Or, 'cocoa moo' as Doc insists. Such a strange man."

"Oh, you don't know the half of it!" Shego replied, noticing how the alcohol was hitting her quicker and harder than she anticipated. _Has it really been so long? I don't want to look like a novice in front of someone who probably isn't even old enough to drink._

"What's on your mind?" the question temporarily caught Shego off guard and she answered truthfully, seeing no harm in it.

"I was trying to figure out if you're old enough to be drinking."

"Not what I meant," the other countered, surprising Shego. "Your dream, or nightmare rather, is still there. I can see it in your eyes. And you've been distracted lately. Are the two connected?"

"Perhaps," Shego shrugged, wanting to avoid the conversation. _But, if she wants to play this little game..._ "Seems to me like you are digging for something."

"We all are," there was no hint of dishonesty in her tone. _This might be easier than I thought._ "Everyone is searching for something, always looking for that which they are unsure of or question. In specific, my digging involves… well, how about we just wrap up my investigation right now?"

"Oh?" Shego eyed the woman suspiciously. _She still hasn't stated her age... A master of evasion._ "What would that entail?"

"Well, I could ask a few point blank questions and probably upset you or we could talk it out and you'll end up giving me the information without even noticing it."

"Is that the tactic you used on Kim?" Shego received a nod and a smile from Com, taking another swig of the liquor herself. _Alright, well, at least if she's point blank, I'll know exactly what she's digging for, and why._ "Then let's go with option one."

"Did Hego tell you that you couldn't be a hero if you were a lesbian or did he say that lesbians couldn't be heroes?" _Doesn't get any blunter than that._ Shego tried to force her mouth to work but the words wouldn't come. They stood there in silence for a while, watching each other from opposing sides of the counter, Shego wanting to ask how the Titan had known and wanting to also avoid answering the question. "It's not like you're subtle about it, Shego."

"Maybe not in _this_ world," Shego sighed in defeat. _Might as well._ "Hego said that heroes were straight, period. He's a stubborn jerk when he wants to be, got his morality code from a cracker jack box. How is this important?"

"Everything is important, to someone. What you want to know is, how is it relevant, and the answer is rather simple," Com gave her the strangest smile. "What was her name?"

"Wha-? Who?" Shego stammered, cursing having any of the alcohol. She wasn't ready for this.

"Don't be coy, Shego. You're a beautiful young woman, intense emerald eyes, gorgeous ebony hair, not to mention a killer body, I'm sure you were as beautiful when you were younger. Your brother had to find out some way. I assume it was because you had a girlfriend," Com shifted, taking her eyes off Shego and looking to her hot chocolate instead. Without those hazel eyes, Shego felt a slight weight lift off her, like she wasn't being interrogated anymore. "It's not a crime, you know. At least, it isn't in Jump City. Of course, I'm talking about marriage, but you understand."

"You know, to be honest, I can't tell you her name," Shego suddenly spoke, a soft sadness to her tone. "She went by 'Carni Vale', had a costume like a jester and used stupid gimmicks based off carnival rides and such. When I say Go City villains are on the deprived side of fashion and creativity, I'm _not _kidding. We were fighting her and she'd taken out my brothers without breaking a sweat. I had her pinned against the wall, should've found a way to finish her, but all I could think of was how beautiful her eyes were. She took advantage, got away, and Hego never let me live it down. He said I must've liked evil, that's why I let her go. I tried to explain that I got caught up in the moment. He wouldn't, absolutely refused, to understand. He said that either I started dating nice superhero boys or I quit the team," Shego spat the last part. "His pride won't let him admit he drove me away. He told my other brothers I just up and left. I know the Wegos don't believe him and Mego is skeptical, at best, but Hego has convinced himself that I left because I wanted to be evil, not because I wanted to date other girls."

"Do you mind if I call him an ass?"

"Not at all."

"Good. Shego, Hego is an ass."

"Why do you Titans insist on telling me things I already know?" Shego smirked, feeling slightly better now that she'd finally told someone. For years she'd kept it a secret, dated guys every now and again, even let Junior hit on her when they worked together, all for appearances. She thought that, if she was evil and straight, her brother would feel like an idiot. _That backfired in my face._ "Although, you can let me in on how you knew."

"What, that you're homo?" Com's bluntness was starting to test Shego's nerves. "Honestly, just a logical guess. You had oppressive brothers, or rather brother, you have only been in the employ of male supervillains, and have avoided working with females at all costs. In fact, the _only_ female you work with is Kim Possible, a young cheerlead who's ho-"

"Finish that sentence and I will nuke you here and now," Shego growled, one hand lighting up with green plasma to accent her point. Con instantly backed off; the heat from her ungloved hand was far worse than anything the super soldier felt safe around.

"My point stands: you are a true professional and keep your work and your personal life separate. So, it only would make sense that you have tastes for less conventional fare," Con gave her a smug smile, something dancing in those hazel eyes that put Shego on edge. _She thinks she has something on me… not good._ "I just wonder. If everyone in the Tower knows it-"

"How could _everyone_ possibly know it?" Shego countered. _I don't like where she's going with this._ Com just laughed.

"C'mon, you wear green and black all the time, and Kim's first mission outfit was what? Black shirt with green cargo pants? That's cute, you two match! Then, she changes her look, to black cargo pants and a _purple_ top?" Com pointed towards the rooms section of the Tower. "Beastboy is always associated with green and Raven, oddly enough, is most often associated with purple. It just so _happens_ that you two, who spend so much time together, and who fight as constantly, if not in the same manner, as BB and Rae did, are wearing their colors, with black to tie you two together? Who are you two trying to kid?"

_I really hate this woman._ Shego remained silent, not wanting to entertain the stupid, youthful fantasies of 'destiny' or 'fate' or some such nonsense. It would just make her weaker and she was weak enough with Kim constantly around. Com took the silence as her cue to continue.

"Anyway, do you think Kimmie knows? There's no rule about not having late night visitors, you know. Cheerleader, mighty limber, not to mention they always know how to-"

Without warning, Com was bouncing across the common room floor, a small amount of her head sporting a nasty burn. Thankfully, she'd managed to duck the majority of Shego's blow, though the residual heat had been enough to wound. Though she'd been taken off guard, Commando gained a fighter's stance when she rolled to her feet, ready for the next attack. Instead, she caught sight as Shego headed back to her quarters. At the door, the emerald woman gave her the most intense glare and grated out the words.

"I am the _only_ person to call her that. And if you _ever_ so much as _think_ about my Kimmie in those terms again, _I will end you_."

Once Shego had left, Com relaxed, a smile on her lips as she went and retrieved her flask, which still held a fair amount of liquid to it. "Well, at least she cares." The soldier laughed and took a small sip, returning to the computer and deleting the strings that indicated she'd activated Shego's communicator in the middle of the night as well as the footage of the conversation and attack. After all, this was done off the record. No reason the other Titans should know. She knew Shego wouldn't mention it and by the time the rest of the Titans showed up for breakfast, her slight injury would be completely healed. "I wonder where this path will lead us. To Salvation… or Destruction?"

_~Hallway, Outside Kim's Room~_

_Don't delude yourself. She isn't 'yours' any more than you are 'hers'. You aren't taken. You're just an out-of-luck ex-hero, turned villain, back to hero, waiting for the day you go back to being the nobody she left behind. The closest you'll ever get to her is this. Friend. Teammate. And _nothing_ more._ Shego turned down the hall and made her way to her room, easing under the covers with a heavy heart. _I bet this is how the buffoon feels. So close but so far away._

_Continued in Chapter 5: Distress Call from Titans' East (or Save Me From Myself!)_

Author's Note: Alright, so I got this posted earlier than I said. The reason I put such a late date was because I had hit a roadblock and couldn't seem to work around it. All thanks goes to Malacoda who reminded me of what I think when I read other KiGo where the biggest emotional issue Kim and Shego face is about their sexuality. Personally, I don't think that would bother them so much. For Kim, I really think she'd be more concerned with the morality of loving her arch enemy. For Shego, it's more about trusting someone when she knows she, herself, isn't the poster child for honesty. That's how I think it would go, anyway, and it's my story, so… *wicked grin* Hope I didn't disappoint. At the rate I'm going, the next chapter will probably be split up, (sorry they keep getting longer) but it should be under way soon. I will be occupied most of the weekend so no clue yet as to when the next chapter will be posted.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** Hey, I now own Kim Possible and Teen Titans, plus the world supply of cheez its and all the organs in your body! If you believe that… Hell, I'll throw the golden gate in free because I'm being paid to do this! _(Additional Disclaimer: the previous disclaimer is a lie. So is the cake. You have been warned._) Also, I apologize if this gives you a headache. It's going to get confusing. Bear with me.

Chapter 5: Distress Call from Titans' East (or Save Me From Myself!)

"Why can't bad guys respect holidays?" Beastboy growled, looking over Cyborg's shoulder as the report appeared on screen. Normally, the call for assistance from Titans' East would be either delivered in person or via a live streaming video. That they chose to send an encrypted e-mail had the entire Tower on high alert. Even worse, they were short two Titans as Robin and Starfire were dispatched on special 'mission' of their own. "I mean, really, Christmas is _tomorrow_! Are we seriously going to be working on Christmas Eve?"

"I think so, BB," Cyborg replied, reading the last line with an audible sigh. "Whatever happened, it's bad, they need us there yesterday."

"Great. That just leaves the question of _who_ is going," Jinx crossed her arms and leaned against the kitchen counter. The remaining Titans were assembled, Team Possible included, all waiting for the verdict from the three senior Titans. Raven, Beastboy, and Cyborg exchanged a quick look.

_I'm surprised there isn't already some sort of plan regarding a situation like this. No matter, the choice is obvious. _

"I think it would be best to take Kim and Shego," Raven kept her tone even, Beastboy and Cyborg staying silent. Robin hadn't officially put her in charge but she was more level headed than either of them and they respected her decision making ability. And feared her temper, which didn't hurt (in a sense). "The rest of you will stay behind to keep an eye on Jump City."

_Sometimes I wonder if they are this redundant intentionally or by pure luck._

"Which then leaves the question of who's in charge," Commando said before slicing off another piece of the apple she'd been holding and tossing it into her mouth. Shego threw a glare her way, displeased the Titan boasted no physical proof of their altercation though no one else knew the reason for her displeasure. They just assumed the two women had a disagreement. Kim knew her former nemesis rarely forgave and never forgot so it didn't really surprise her. The redhead herself had been acting a little strange since her conversation with Raven a few days prior.

_With the high tensions in this Tower, one must wonder why no one has snapped yet._

"Well, I think that's rather obvious, Connie," Jinx replied smugly, a grin to her lips, avoiding both Shego's glare and Kim's pensive expression. "If we go by seniority, it's Wally, and if we go by ability, then it's me. Sorry, doll, you're still the second."

"I'm perfectly fine with that," the solder replied, munching on another slice of apple. "I'm best at following orders anyway."

"What do you mean 'by ability' babe?" Kid Flash arched a brow, obviously registering the slight but still smiling like usual. Of course, the Bravo Titans had expected to stay behind, congregating at the counter and looking thoroughly unimpressed by the declaration. Team Possible, on quite the other hand, sat at the table and appeared on edge until Raven announced who was going and who was staying, and the duties that entailed. Ron visibly looked relieved, throwing a small grin Terra's way, which she shyly returned from the counter. Drakken didn't even bother pretending he was part of the consideration, intently working on his holo-ring to match his exact specifications. _Talk about one track minded. _Kim and Shego, though sitting side-by-side for the first time since arriving at the Tower a week and a half ago, had an air of confidence and slight pride knowing they were chosen to replace the two Senior Titans. They had been heavily relied upon since their appearance as Adrena Lynn and Shego, members of the newest denizens of Jump City, Team Possible. However, despite their increased time working together, they stoutly refused to look at each other throughout the briefing.

"Jinx, you will be in charge. Try to be cautious; this could be an elaborate trap to get us out of the city," Raven seemed unaffected by the reactions of her comrades, either because she didn't care, chose not to show her reaction, or simply expected them, it was tough to say. _What Garfield sees in her, I'll never know. They seem like good mates though, despite her attitude... or lack of one._ As she quickly gave out the standard 'we'll be right back' speech, Cyborg worked to set up the systems for their absence. It wasn't until he knew Raven was finished with her speech that he added in his own comments.

"The last time something like this happened, it didn't go over well. Be prepared for anything the moment we leave. We'll take the T-sub and return as quickly as we can. The sooner we get this resolved, the better," Cyborg spoke firmly. As the three Titans moved towards the elevator, Kim and Shego stood to follow, though still rather resolutely ignoring the other. The remaining Titans watched them go, silently wishing the team luck on their mission. Rufus came out from the little nook he'd made for himself on the far wall and scampered towards his owner, leaping onto Ron's shoulder and quickly chirping into the blonde's ear.

"Are you sure? I mean-" Rufus stopped the young man midsentence with a glare, crossing his arms over his tiny chest. A slightly heavy sigh came before Ron nodded, agreeing to the rodent's plan. "Alright, little buddy, just be careful."

Ron missed the rodent rolling his eyes as he scampered off towards their room.

_~High Over Kansas~_

"So, how long is this trip going to take, Cyborg?" Kim was still getting used to operating the headset, her hands instinctively gripping the useless controls. She knew that only Cyborg's controls were actually operating the ship but it still felt good to have a handle on _something_ as the world below raced by.

"Yeah, 'cause Miss Socialite has plans tonight you know," Shego's snide reply cackled into the redhead's ear, earning a glare down the ship to where the object of her annoyance, and affections, sat, idly examining her glove. She couldn't see Kim's glare from where she sat but that didn't matter to the annoyed young woman. Things had been… tense, to say the least, since her conversation with Raven and the promise she'd made herself. While her resolve hadn't changed yet, the more the two worked together, the stronger her feelings for the emerald goddess had become, and her belief that she was making the right decision started to waver. While Kim had always looked forward to missions, now she almost wished for them, as it was the only time when her head was completely clear of the doubts that had recently started to nest there. She had something to focus on and could temporarily ignore the churning and conflicting emotions. It also gave her an excellent excuse to admire the woman's new uniform, which clung to her curves as much as the only one, but gave her a few more viewpoints to admire during flight. What the young woman didn't know was that Shego was having a similar argument in her mind, though over a slightly different subject. The conversation with Commando had brought to light several facts Shego had always tried to ignore. Now, with them thrust into her face, the emerald woman had more than enough to keep her busy. She desperately needed time to think but it didn't appear like that was happening anytime soon.

"It will only take another hour to get there, but I don't know when we'll be getting back," Cyborg chose to ignore Shego's comment, focusing on keeping the ship at a safe altitude. He, along with the other Titans, had noticed the slight change in banter between the redhead and emerald beauty, though they agreed to ignore it for the time being. Raven insisted it was something they needed to work through on their own. "I'm more concerned with why this seems so fishy. And, before you ask, BB, I'm pretty sure we won't be back before tomorrow."

"Aw, man!" the green teen whined, interlacing his hands behind his head. "Seriously, why on Christmas Eve? There's, like, over three hundred days that _don't_ hold some sort of importance and they just _can't_ choose one of those?"

"You know, something could seriously be wrong in Steel City and here you are complaining about it!" Shego snapped, somehow sounding downright sincere in her concern. Kim was temporarily glad for the seating arrangement; she didn't want Shego seeing the shock evident on her face. Little did she know, Shego was just as shocked at the words herself. "I'm just saying, it's a stupid commercial holiday, once we can celebrate once this business is taken care of, so stop complaining."

"Shego is right. Until we know what is wrong, and how to fix it, we should keep ourselves focused on the mission," Raven's level tone reminded Kim of the words the purple haired woman had spoken a few nights before. Flicking a switch and removing her headset, Kim sighed, massaging her temples.

"Gah, why does this have to be so complicated?" Little did she know, a certain emerald woman was saying the exact same thing, though with a little more remorse in her tone. From across the ship, Raven and Beastboy exchanged a quick glance, conveying the mounting concern that their two new friends were tearing themselves apart for no good reason. Cyborg, bearing witness to all of this (he conveniently neglected to tell either Shego or Kim about the visual feeds in the cockpits) kept his piece as he tried to figure out what, exactly, was going on within the Tower. It certainly felt like more than what he'd seen, especially with Raven's rather cryptic advice to avoid approaching Kim or Shego about their recent behavior. Almost as if… Cyborg shook his head, dismissing his fellow Titans of any wrongdoing. If something seemed off, it was probably for the best. He had to trust in that. He _had_ to trust his friends.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, the five heroes keeping a steady silence. They never even noticed the strange modification made to the T-sub's underbelly.

_~Titans' East, Steel City~_

"So, didn't bother changing the architecture?" Shego raised a brow as a familiar, yet slightly different, giant 'T' came into view. It had a slightly more modern look to it but it was definitely made by the same person.

"Are you knockin' my designs, Sour Apple?" Cyborg seemed a bit more jovial than before, almost excited. Kim thought about questioning him but passed. She was rather certain an explanation would be on its way eventually. Meanwhile, Shego raised a brow at the sudden nickname.

"'Sour Apple'? I have half a mind to kick you in the face when we land!" Shego growled, wishing she could glare at the man currently seated behind her.

"Try it and I fry you, Sour Grape," a new voice came over the headsets, one that reminded Kim a little of Monique in both tone and attitude. Shego, however, was less than impressed.

"Do I _look_ like a piece of fruit to you?" she nearly yelled, causing Beastboy to jerk his headset off and rub his sensitive ears. Raven, meanwhile, was smirking rather amusedly, wondering if Kim would take the bait.

"Nah, more like candy," came the redhead's confident reply. Cyborg had to flip his receiver up to keep his laughter within his cockpit. Watching the blush covering Kim's cheeks was absolutely priceless. And, of course, Shego had to participate in the suddenly flirtatious banter herself.

"Oh, Pumpkin, didn't know you had a sweet tooth." Of course, Shego had no problems settling into their usual teasing banter, it was the perfect way to calm her nerves. Even if this was a bit more… personal than usual, it still gave the emerald heroine a bit of her usual swagger. That is, until she heard the unexpected reply.

"Uh, well, maybe I do. Wouldn't happen to know a cure, would you?" It was decidedly less confident than her first remark but the implication still took Shego by surprise.

"Sounds like it's getting hot in there, Sparky," the unidentified voice from earlier interrupted what could have been a very awkward moment. Both Kim and Shego were glad for the interruption, though for separate reasons. "How about you guys come down here and say hi? The boys are dying to see Star again."

"Heh, won't they be disappointed," Cyborg sighed, setting down the T-sub on the Titans' East roof. As five separate cockpits opened, three figures charged towards them through the roof access door. While Kim and Shego sprang into defensive positions, Beastboy quickly called out to ensure no one would start throwing punches, ignoring the faint trace of a familiar scent in the air.

"Bumblebee! Aqualad, Speedy, good to see ya!" the green teen looked around, slightly confused, as Kim and Shego relaxed. "Where's…"

"¡Aquí, señor Beastboy!" two childish voices cried simultaneously as a strange blur circled the assembled Titans and came to a stop in front of the young man in question. Shego was mildly surprised to see two small boys, obviously of Latin decent, holding hands with matching uniforms. Kim and Shego looked away, focusing on the other three figures, each reminded of their own twin brothers back in Middleton and Go City, respectively.

"Más y Menos! Good to see you guys again!" Beastboy reached down and hugged the younger heroes. Raven and Cyborg approached the remaining three, hoping to earn the answers to their questions.

"Sup, Bee, how's it hangin'?" It didn't take a rocket scientist to notice the obvious excitement the metal teen had about the woman dressed in an alternating blank and yellow striped top and black form fitting pants. She had her hands on her hips, a cocky smirk graces her lips as the ten Titans assembled together. _So even the metal one has a tentative mate. Strange; it didn't occur to me that he might still be capable of procreation. _

"Oh, just the usual, a bad guy bent on something stupid here and there but nothing we can't handle. What brings you guys out here?" her honey colored eyes drifted to the two new additions, one clad in green and black, the other purple and black, wearing masks suspiciously similar to Speedy's. The young archer noticed this but chose to say nothing, for the time being. "Giving us two new recruits? We're not hurting for help, you know." Titans' East suddenly became concerned with the growing worry evident on the three familiar faces.

"We got word that you guys were in trouble," Cyborg crossed his arms over his chest, watching his comrades critically. "Sent from _inside_ the Tower and encrypted. No details just that you guys need our help as soon as possible."

"Sorry to break it to you Cyborg, but none of us sent a distress call," Aqualad stepped forward, motioning towards the city. "There's really been nothing worth mentioning going on lately. Maybe it's Gizmo playing a trick on you?"

"Yeah, except we just threw him and his lame friends in jail not even three days ago," Shego answered for the Titan, running a hand through her hair. Of course this was probably a trap; she'd seen enough of them in her day.

"There's always the chance Brother Blood is back," Cyborg's tone bordered accusing but somehow maintained a sense of logic with an undertone of anger. Kim, still uncertain as to what was going on, just kept silent and took notice of how the young archer, probably Speedy, and the man wearing the wetsuit, most likely Aqualad, were watching her with carefully guarded gazes. The boys, Más y Menos, were rather blatant as they stared admiringly at the two new beautiful additions to Titans' West. Once upon a time, being admired so by handsome young men would've been flattering, if not a little embarrassing, to the teen cheerleader. Now, though, she just wondered if the annoyance on Shego's face was a result of the possible trap or due to the attention she was receiving. "We'll need to scan all of you and sweep the entire Tower to be sure. Plus contact the others."

"I wish I could argue with you, but I understand," Bumblebee sighed, motioning for the door behind them. "If it can happen once…"

"We'll also check up on Pantha, assuming she's still here," Raven added, gliding along between Cyborg and Beastboy, the Titans' East crew leading the way. For a brief moment, Shego and Kim didn't move.

"Princess, about that… cure-"

"Let's talk about it later, okay?" Kim quickly cut Shego off, a blush staining her cheeks. "We have a mission right now."

"Uh, yeah, you're right," Shego agreed, following after the other Titans. "Later." It wasn't part of her agreement. It was a vow. None of the Titans noticed the small black blob fall from the T-sub and scamper towards the nearest ventilation shaft.

_~Titans' East ICU~_

"Pantha is still here; though she's starting to get a bit… shall we say restless?" Bumblebee smirked, standing aside to allow one of the others to enter first. So consumed in her own thoughts, Kim naturally stepped forward and through the doorway, not registering the looks of apprehension on every other face. The redhead was physically pulled to the present, however, as a large mass suddenly slammed into her. A thick arm attempted to snake around her neck but Kim was just a hair quicker, tucking her chin and shoving her arms up, escaping the temporary hold. As the redhead turned to deliver a roundhouse kick to her enemy, Kim let out a yelp as whatever had attacked her effortlessly picked her up, one clawed hand on her calf while the other gripped her shoulder. A quick glance revealed her attacker to be a muscled, masked woman decked out like a professional wrestler from Mexico. (One of the few times Ron's obsessions actually had a real world application, even if it wasn't the same 'real world'.) She could practically feel the body slam coming but was instead unceremoniously dropped to the ground as Shego barreled into the woman, dealing a tackle any defensive lineman would be proud of. Somehow, the woman kept her feet, though knocked back a few steps, and with a heaving yell, threw the emerald woman across the room to fetch up against the wall. Kim gasped at the indentation Shego's body left in the drywall.

"That's it! You're going down!" Kim roared, charging the wrestler despite the pain coursing through her body from the fall. The woman returned Kim's challenge with a confident smirk.

"Good. Pantha enjoys the challenge!"

"Wait, you're Pantha?" Kim changed from a full on sprint to a slide as the masked woman threw a vicious punch, managing to slip between the woman's legs. Noting where she was, Kim lashed out with her hands in knife edged blows to the back of Pantha's knees, rolling out of the way just as the larger woman buckled, falling backwards.

"She's about to be History!" Shego growled as she regained her feet, her plasma igniting as the emerald woman's temper flared. Kim agreed; this had gone far enough, already activating the power gloves of her suit.

Realizing the situation had escalated far quicker than she had expected, Bumblebee called out to Pantha while unleashing dual blasts from her stingers aimed at the newest Titans. "Rosie, calm down! They're friends!"

"Friends?" Pantha seemed slightly stunned by the declaration, picking herself off the ground. "This is good, for they fight well. I will need all my strength to get my revenge." As if to accent her point, Pantha flexed her muscles before bending down to pick up the groaning Kim Possible and Shego, placing them on two beds in the room.

"Bee, was that absolutely necessary?" Cyborg's tone was severe, rushing over to check their vitals. Though he'd suspect as much from her wicked sense of humor, Cy was convinced she could've ended the scuffle long ago.

"In our defense, you guys show up out of the blue, with two new chicks, say _we_ sent for you, and then demand a full scan of everything in the Tower?" Speedy didn't bother hiding the accusation in his tone. "Had to make sure you guys are the real deal." _So you send them into an ambush? The more time I spend with Humans, the more my mind is boggled by how they manage to maintain control of this planet!_

"Boy's got a point, Sparky. Besides, Raven could've stopped them too," her eyes slid to the empath in question. Raven merely arched her brow.

"I have to use my power sparingly these days," Raven dismissed the accusation without much concern. "I have… something coming up and I need my strength."

"Rae, what's going on?" Beastboy seemed genuinely confused while Raven just smirked.

"You'll find out when we get back to the Tower, Gar. Right now, we need to find out who sent that message." _Good. I'm surprised Garfield hasn't noticed the change in her scent. Then again, he is in his Human form so often, it must be difficult to tap his true senses._

"Ugh. Obviously, if supervillains want to learn how to set up effective surprise attacks, they should ask heroes," Shego grumbled, sitting up with a hand to her head. "God, I feel like I just downed a gallon of tequila."

"I think you'd prefer it," Cyborg sighed, completing his scans on both the injured Titans. "Scans show you cracked a few ribs. I think I'd take the hangover."

"Is Ki- is Lynn alright?" Shego quickly corrected herself, sliding off the bed with minimal difficulty. _Why can't she ever show such concern when Kim is _conscious_? Is that too much to ask?_

"Shego, you should rest-"

"Fat chance, Tin Man. Besides, I've already healed," Shego took a step closer to Kim's bed as Cyborg did another scan, surprised to find her statement to be true. "High metabolism and healing rate, a perk of the plasma. Now, answer my question."

"Adrena Lynn will be fine with rest. She sustained a concussion but just peachy besides that." Shego threw the woman dubbed 'Pantha' a venomous glare.

"You're lucky." The words were grated out, the implied death threat ringing loud and clear. Before Pantha could react to the challenge, Aqualad called the attention of all present.

"Look, we need to get to the bottom of this, and sooner rather than later. Standing around threatening each other is getting us nowhere."

"Not to mention it's giving whoever _did_ set this up more time," Speedy pointed out, heading out of the room as the rest of his team starting to follow, plus Pantha, sensing her presence angered the green woman. The three West Titans exchanged glances and nodded, allowing Cyborg to announce their decision.

"They're right. Let's get to the main computer and start tracing this thing. Shego, you-"

"Will be right here until either Ki- Lynn wakes up or we leave," Shego firmly finished Cyborg's sentence. "Like Hell I'm leaving her here when we don't know what's going on." Rather than argue, the others nodded their agreement and left, presumably heading for the East's common room. Shego detached her communicator and set it on the bed before pulling up a fallen chair and sitting down, watching the discomfort pass over Kim's unconscious face. She wasn't sure when the redhead had slipped unconscious but it didn't matter. Somehow, Shego found herself trusting Cyborg's word that she'd be okay. "And if she isn't, I'll turn him into scrap metal!" Shego growled, throwing a plasma blast at the wall to release some of her frustration. She didn't even hear the startled squeak from the nearby vent.

_That was close! I'll never understand how anyone could consider a mate with such a volatile temper!_ Rufus caught his breath and started again through the maze of ventilation shafts, looking to follow the Titans. He'd managed to stow away on the T-sub thanks to a little side project of his own and now felt it imperative the Titans remain unaware of his presence. _There is something wrong in this Tower, just like the last one, but I can't figure out what!_ The rodent began the argument anew as he scampered through the shafts, catching up to the eight young heroes with ease. _I must get to the bottom of this!_

Though he had come to greatly enjoy the Titans' company in his short stay at the Tower, he'd become steadily uncomfortable with certain… vibes he sensed between the residents. While there was, of course, the obvious romantic aspirations between Rob and Terra beginning to build, which Rufus was only too happy about considering the dismal turn Ron's love life had taken after he was dumped, there were others too, strange ones. The strange vibes he was sensing were, on some level, beyond his ability to comprehend. They weren't anything he'd faced in his short life, nothing he'd come across while travelling with his owner and friend, absolutely no precedent to base the sensations he was feeling off of, yet there they were. He could sense some of the same things in this Tower as well but not nearly as much as back in the West. He had no fear that this strangeness could touch Kim or Shego, not even Ron or Drakken seemed capable of falling under the spell. Their emotions and intentions were as plain as they had always been. There was anger from Shego, mostly directed at Commando (though it didn't strike Rufus as odd that Shego was angry, that she focused the anger on one person was surprising), and the standard, ever building sexual tension between Kim and Shego, plus Drakken and Ron trying hard to get along with every other member of the team. Those were acceptable. Normal. What wasn't was the downright creepy sensation crawling up his spine every time certain Titans spoke or passed by him. He was getting that same feeling now, but as they were in a group, it was impossible to tell who it was coming from. _Why can't I figure out what this is? Surely it has to be the evil of which Raven spoke; the very beginning of the plans that woman from her dream must be weaving. Yet, if so, why has no open attempt been made? What is she waiting for? Or is she even waiting? Has it already begun?_ Rufus shook his head as the Titans started accessing the proper files, looking for the distress call. This call was glaringly obvious, a ploy in every sense of the word, but why hadn't the trap sprung yet? Why was this taking so long? _What is the end game? Wait it out?_ Below the naked mole rat, the Titans were beginning to ask some of the same questions.

"I don't get it. There's no record of it here," Cyborg scowled at the screen, then backtracked to the initial login and changed back to the Titans' West access control. "Here, let me show you what we-" The metal man blinked, hands frozen midair. "What tha-?"

"It's… gone," Beastboy seemed equally confused, rubbing his eyes and squinting at the screen. "But I read it! We all did! It was there!"

"Someone obviously deleted it while you guys were en route," Bumblebee seemed equally annoyed. "They were trying to lure you out!"

"Right! Titans!" Cyborg's arm panel came to life, instantly connecting with the vid screen in the Titans' West common room. Much to his surprise, all six remaining Titans were congregated; most eating at the table like it was just a normal day while Commando sat at the terminal. "Uh, you guys haven't gotten a call?"

"Nope, been as quiet as, well, Christmas Eve!" Drakken called out. "How goes the goose chase?"

"You _knew!_" Cyborg's tone took a heavy edge, though the shock registering on the others' faces said that he was way overreacting. Quickly, Drakken explained himself.

"Only for a few minutes! Commando just checked the system, like usual, and said the distress call just, well, vanished. She was about to contact you."

_Now that's peculiar._ Rufus scratched his chin, turning over the information in his head. _That doesn't make any sense. There isn't transport enough to take everyone on the mission; they had to have known that. They also had to have known that those left behind would check the systems and notice the missing file. So what _is_ the game?_

"He's telling the truth, Sir, I checked and rechecked, there's no record of the distress call at all," the soldier shrugged. "Not even a hint. Looks like someone snuck in and wiped the systems clean."

"So now the question is, who would be stupid enough to hack our systems but smart enough to do it?" Aqualad was scowling in thought, as was more than half the Titans. Except for, of course, Más y Menos. They suddenly took off, probably to do a full search of the Tower.

"I think the more important question is 'why?' really," Raven spoke, flipping back her hood. "It wouldn't be so surprising if something _happened_ during this. That nothing has makes me think it might be… something else entirely."

"What do you mean, Rae? What could anyone possibly be after that would warrant all this but without any obvious pay off?" Beastboy was running both hands through his hair, getting a headache from thinking so hard. "No one we fight would have the ability to plan something big. The only people who could aren't around anymore. So _what is it?_"

_I agree with Beastboy. This is complex and subtle, yet simple and obvious. So why can't we figure this out?_

_~Titans' East, ICU~_

"¿Estará bien?" the soft, childish voices caught Shego off guard. Startled so, the emerald woman instantly got off the bed, having seated herself next to Kim's still slumbering body, and turned to the door. The young boys from before, who so suddenly reminded her of the Wegos, stood in the doorway, unsure if they should enter. Shego made a motion with her hand, inviting the boys in as she reclaimed the chair. She knew they were asking if Kim was okay and decided to reply in Spanish, assuming that was the language they could speak and understand.

"Yes, she is fine, she is only sleeping," Shego replied, wondering briefly if her Spanish was as good as it had been in her youth. By the look of the boys' faces, she had spoken at least well enough to get her point across, both using their super speed to appear beside the emerald woman in less than the blink of an eye. "You two move very fast. I am impressed."

"It's only when we touch," said one, the positive sign identifying him as Más. The other, Menos, naturally picked up.

"That we can move so quickly," as if to accent their point, the two grasped hands and spoke in unison.

"Más y Menos, si podemos!" the white and red blur disappeared and reappeared, each holding out a bouquet of flowers.

"We are sorry you were hurt…"

"… and that she was hurt too…"

"…can you forgive us?"

"Please?" Más and Menos, in alternation, supplied their apology and request for forgiveness in such a way that Shego nearly let a tear out. She had always preferred her youngest brothers to the rest of her family. Seeing these boys… it was almost too much. But Kim was still unconscious on the table. That was Shego's reason to be strong. She could think about her brothers later.

"Yes, of course, as long as Lynn is okay, there is no harm done. However," one hand lit green as Shego continued. "If Lynn _is not_ okay, I will be very, _very_ angry." While both boys seemed to shrink away from her glowing hand and harsh tone, they didn't appear too threatened, especially after Shego's glow died away. She gave the pair a smirk. "Hope she is okay or else your friends are toast."

"Heh, didn't know you cared." The words were soft and in English, catching Shego's attention immediately. Emerald met bright green as Kim opened her eyes and groaned at the light. "Oh, God, my head hurts."

"Tin Man said you have a concussion, you should be fine."

"So why was I knocked out?"

"Because little Miss Thing in yellow shocked us with her stingers," Shego seemed more annoyed than usual, causing Kim to give her a weak smile.

"Guess her sting is worse than her bite," Kim laughed, wondering when she got so lame at making puns. Shego, who was rather amused by the comment, smirked and took the opportunity.

"Gee, Kimmie, you sure have had your mind on eating today," Shego arched a brow seductively. "Something you wanna talk about?"

Kim had a split second when she thought about either reprimanding Shego for taking her words out of context or furiously denying the implications. But that passed as Raven's words seemed to echo in her mind. "I told you, we'll talk about this later." Kim reached out and grabbed Shego's hand, daring to return the emerald woman's smirk. "Just come by my room sometime so we can… discuss."

Shego felt an uncharacteristic blush creep into her cheeks, surprised by Kim's response. Though she held onto the redhead's hand, Shego let the shock subside and regained her typical composure. "Gee, guess that concussion did more damage that Rust Bucket thought."

"You're funny. Help me up," Kim demanded, already swinging her legs over the bed, knocking Shego's communicator to the ground. The emerald heroine knelt down to pick it up as Kim hopped off the bed in front of her. With the yellow device in one hand and Kim's hand in the other, Shego looked up into those bright green eyes sparkling with amusement. "Shego, I never thought you'd be the kind to get down on one knee for me."

"Who says I'm proposing?" Shego's eyes flicked down Kim's body to her crotch, which was at her current eye level, then back up, catching the furious blush staining the teen's face.

"Wait, do you-"

"Later, Princess," Shego mocked, reattaching the communicator to her belt and lifting Kim's hand up, settling that arm across her shoulders and slipping her free arm around Kim's waist. "Right now, we need to link up with the others. You can use me for support."

"Shego, I'm perfectly capable-"

"Trust me, Kimmie," Shego tried to keep the pleading out of her tone. Something about this trip had the hope she'd been carefully squashing each day since her nightmare blossoming uncontrollably. Though they had been firing back and forth in usual mission banter, it sounded slightly forced, but more… something. Shego didn't know what, but there was something about this that had her excited in ways she couldn't understand. Something in the way Kim shifted, leaning on her, said that the redhead was in much the same confusion.

"I-I do," she stammered, touching her head with a wince. "Man, I have one killer headache."

"That will happen," Shego gave a light chuckle, looking to Más y Menos, who were staring at them with goofy grins. Shego's grin fell almost instantly. "Let me guess: you two understand English."

"Of course!" they replied instantly, in Spanish. Shego sighed, moving towards the door with Kim.

"Just take us to the others. At a _normal_ pace."

_~Titans' West Common Room~_

"So, shouldn't something have happened?" Ron put his plate in the sink and looked around, reading the expressions. Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing though no one was speaking.

"Logically, and strategically, one would assume an attack would come while the Titans' West are spread out," Commando sighing into her mug of coffee. "Of course, the anticipation might have the same effect. Knee jerk reactions tend to make things just as complicated."

"In other words, we're sitting ducks?" Ron asked helplessly, feeling Terra come to stand next to him, a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Pretty much," Jinx mumbled. "One of the few things I _hate_ about being the good guy."

_~Titans' East Common Room~_

"AND YOU DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS WORTH MENTIONING BEFORE?" Cyborg yelled, causing Rufus to cover his ears and Kim to wince. Once the two ill Titans rejoined the rest, Raven decided it was time to go back, seeing as nothing they were doing was turning up any new information. However, just as they were about to take the elevator back to the roof, Beastboy noticed a large box in the corner of the room and mentioned it. Apparently, it had arrived a month or so ago, and as they weren't sure who had sent it at the time, the Titans' East crew used it for a dance platform.

"Re-lax, Sparky, it's from that idiot Control Freak," Bumblebee looked rather bored, blowing off the box like it was nothing. "He showed up an hour later gloating about it and we just never had the desire to open the damn thing."

"Well, what's it supposed to do?" Beastboy cocked a brow, poking the box rather haphazardly. Considering it was sent by Control Freak, he seriously doubted it contained anything nefarious. Probably some bad movies at the worst.

"I have no idea. We kicked his butt and threw him in jail," Speedy, disinterested, was combing his hair on the couch. "I'm pretty sure it-"

Under Beastboy's prodding, the box suddenly opened up, emitting a strange bluish light that struck Raven, Beastboy, Kim, Shego, and Más y Menos. The six fell to the ground as Control Freak's recorded voice filled the room.

"_Bwahaha, well, Titans' East, seems like I've CHANGED YOUR CHANNALS! HAHAHA! Oh don't worry, the effects _do _wear off… but you won't be around long enough for that! BWAHAHAHAHA!"_

"Hookay, could you _be_ any lamer?" Shego's voice sounded from pink lips. From his spot in the vent, Rufus was shocked. He instantly recognized the ray and felt horror wash over him. _Really? Does it always have to be this aggravating a situation? How many times can one idea be used, damnit!_ But no, Control Freak had chosen, in order to disrupt the Titans' East, to hit the crew with a ray designed with the same effects as Drakken's brain switching machine. Shego had already revealed herself to be within the teenage body of Kim Possible. As the other Titans came to, the revelations hit them a bit softer. This wasn't anyone's first out-of-body experience, so to speak. "Shit! Who the Hell am I now?"

"You're me," Kim replied from Shego's lips.

"That would explain the headache."

"Funny, I feel fine."

"I'm going to hurt you," Shego's threat lost its edge coming from Kim's lips, a thing that the real Kim found funny. Rufus shook his head. _I can't think about which _body_ they inhabit! I must think in terms of who is controlling that body. Any other consideration will lead to madness!_ Resolved, Rufus turned his attention below once more.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Beastboy yelled, causing the couch to practically explode upwards in a blast of dark energy, sending Speedy through the air. Luckily, he managed to land on his feet though a good twenty feet away from his launching point.

"Be careful, Beastboy," Raven calmly picked herself up. "My powers are sensitive to emotions."

"Dude, we are so doomed."

"Would it help if I demonstrated my own anger?" she offered, noting the eerie feeling of watching her own head nod in agreement. Taking a deep breath, Raven decided to let her anger out like she'd never done before. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME! THIS IS LIKE THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED!"

The rant continued, though Raven chose to be more colorful with her language as she wore on, slightly frightening the other Titans but making Beastboy quite pleased. It wasn't everyday he got to see her express herself without half the room damn near exploding. Hearing Raven's voice as his body stomped around was probably a sight that wouldn't repeat itself. At least, he hoped it wouldn't. Más y Menos, the lucky little guys, managed to switch bodies with each other, which didn't really bother them, seeing as they were identical twins and watched the other four with bemused expressions while remarking to each other in Spanish.

"At least we are not speaking English."

"I know. That was terrible!"

"Great. This is just great," Cyborg grumbled, looking at the four members of his team who were no longer of any real use. "I don't know who brought us here or what their plan was, but this is _not_ how I was planning on things going."

"Uh, sorry 'bout that, Sparky," Bumblebee looked appropriately abashed. "My bad."

"Your bad?" Cyborg was about to round on the young woman when something registered on his sensors. Rufus didn't need the high tech computer to tell him a God awful noise was ringing through the air, making him double over in pain. Obviously, it wasn't within Human hearing, but by the pained expression on Raven's face, she could hear the sound too. _Gah! Within animal hearing? Really? Who could be so evil?_ Rufus managed to open his eyes long enough to stare in horror as Pantha, also suffering from the noise, began to rampage. Of course, as animal instincts tend to do, she focused on the nearest thing to her: Kim Possible. Except that Kim was not within her body and instead Shego, without her powers and unable to work Kim's suit, felt herself flung through the air as the beastwoman hurled her towards the screen mounted on the far wall. Her aim was off though and instead of flying into the screen, Shego crashed through the window and out into the brisk winter air. Kim watched in horror as her own body fell out of sight, rushing towards the now shattered window.

It was the second time Shego had been thrown through the air by that woman. The first time, a wall gave her some cracked ribs. This time, the rocks below would probably kill her. A myriad of thoughts rushed through her mind. A select few resurfaced more often than the rest. She closed her eyes and focused on the one thought that seemed to be her biggest regret. Shego prepared herself to die.

"Shego!" Kim's voice pulled her back, and before she registered what happened, Shego was looking into her own intense emerald orbs, though the emotions making them sparkle so were not her own. On pure instinct, Kim had jumped out, somehow activating the plasma powers Shego possessed, catching up to her own falling body with ease. Unsure of what else to do, Kim wrapped her arms around Shego's temporary body and tried her damndest to change their course.

_**Warning: Approaching Obstacle. Alter course. Warning.**_Dual proximity alarms blared, loudly declaring their impending doom.

They missed the rocks by the same margin they'd missed the Tower. They couldn't miss the water though. Upon impact, the two lost consciousness, sinking thanks to their heavy suits, utterly lost. Rufus was too stunned to believe what he'd just witnessed. Even as Cyborg, Bumblebee, and Speedy worked to subdue Pantha, Rufus could only watch in abject terror. _Kimberly, Shego. Both of them. Gone._

_~Titans' West Roof~_

"What the Hell?" Commando tilted her head to the side, aggravation plain on her face. She had gone up to the roof for some fresh air when something caught her attention, snatching it away from the unusual headache she'd acquired earlier. "Could've sworn I'd heard something."

_~Titans' West Common Room~_

"Does anyone else hear that?" Ron cocked his head to the side. "Sounds like it's coming from the TV."

"Nope," Jinx replied simply, turning a page in her book. "It's either your imagination or white noise. Don't worry about it."

_~Titans' East, ICU~_

"Why do I feel like I just had _another_ gallon of tequila?" Shego sat up, grabbing her head with both hands. For a moment, she panicked at the purple suit that she was wearing and the red locks of hair framing her vision. Then she remembered switching bodies with Kim and her impromptu flight through the window to the bay below. She was scared to look around. Luckily, Beastboy- er, Raven was there to comfort her, despite the slightly odd appearance.

"You've been unconscious for a while, Shego."

"How long is 'a while'?" Shego's head still felt fuzzy. Raven checked the watch on her wrist.

"Merry Christmas."

"Great. What-"

"You're going to be fine, Shego. You and Lynn survived. Your suit activated at the last minute, shielding you two from most of the trauma, but the impact knocked you both out," motioning to the adjoining bed, Shego saw her own body lying shockingly lifeless. She wasn't sure which was worse: seeing her own body in such a state or knowing it was Kim feeling the pain. "Kim's landing was slightly harder; she took most of the impact for you. I'm sure she'll wake up soon. She's a tough young woman."

"Tell me something I don't know," came the whispered reply, her eyes closing with the memory. She'd already given up, already had let go when her Kimmie had appeared to save her. "Even if we survived the impact, I thought for sure we'd drown."

"Be thankful for Aqualad then. Just so happens a school of dolphins like to stay close for reasons like this," Beastboy tried his hardest to keep his emotions in check, sitting at the far end of the room. "One of the few times the pretty boy is _exactly_ who you want on your team."

Being thankful wasn't on her mind though. Shego wanted to be angry or something, something that would stop making her feel guilty knowing Kim was, again, recovering while Shego felt almost normal. Now, joining that big regret that had pushed itself to the forefront of her mind during her fall, she had the added questions of why Kim Possible literally jumped out of window on a leap of faith to save _her_ of all people. There were logical answers but Shego's mind seemed to fixate on the irrational, hope inspired answer she refused to put to voice. "When will we go back? I don't like this place."

"I know," Raven's tone was somber, sensing the turmoil within the woman before her. "As soon as she's regained consciousness, we will go. It shouldn't be much longer."

Rufus watched from the vent, trying to process the events. On the surface, Control Freak's contraption seemed to have triggered Pantha's rage but Rufus knew better. The noise came from the TV screen, where Pantha had attempted to throw Shego, not the box. But if the mind changing ray was only a coincidence, then what triggered the noise? And what was the intention? _This doesn't make any sense! Nothing seems to fit together!_ Reluctantly, as Kim started to stir, Rufus realized he had to board the ship before the Titans or risk discovery.

"I feel terrible."

"That's putting it lightly," Shego replied, wanting then and there to demand what Kim had been _thinking_ when she jumped out after her but the formerly emerald woman stopped herself. At the moment, they needed to get back to Titans' West and figure out how to regain their own bodies. That took precedence. This conversation could wait until later.

"C'mon gang, let's get going," Cyborg was somber, nursing a few bruises from Pantha himself. The members of Titans' East, with the exception of the twins, had managed to render the wrestler immobile and placed her in a holding cell in the bowels of the Tower while their West counterparts checked on their injured. While it was no surprise the animal woman had no recollection of her rampage, everyone agreed keeping her locked up was the best course of action for the time being. Even Pantha herself agreed, expressing her sincerest apologies, though they weren't delivered to either young woman. Something about their situation said that the apology wouldn't exactly go over well. As the five stepped out of the ICU, Speedy met them and escorted the team to the roof.

"Are you sure leaving is such a good idea?" Kim whispered to Raven, using Shego for support. Cyborg had offered his assistance but Shego staunchly refused, citing it was still her body. The real reason had nothing to do with that but no one really wanted to question her. Raven blinked a time or two, a slight panic in those forest green orbs, as she shook her head.

"No, but it's our only option at the moment," she replied quietly, giving a subtle nod to Cyborg and Speedy. "With the four of us practically useless, we need the rest of Titans' West to cover for us."

"Did Rust Bucket figure out when this will wear off?" Shego didn't bother whispering and was mildly surprised when Cyborg didn't react negatively to the new nickname.

"He said it looks like the max it could last would be a week and minimum would be twenty four hours. Pantha used the ray to smash in the TV so he wasn't able to get an accurate scan of it," Beastboy sighed, looking down at his feminine body. "Honestly, I'm not complaining. I feel downright sexy!"

Shego was about to snap at him for making a joke when two of them had nearly died but Kim gave a slight chuckle, so she bit her tongue. Instead, Raven gave him a cocky grin.

"We'll see about that."

_~Titan's East Common Room~_

"What do you think this was all about?" Aqualad watched on the scanner as the T-sub left. Bumblebee shook her head.

"I don't know, but something is definitely up."

"Think we'll figure it out before it's too late?" Speedy looked to their leader, trying to hide the concern in his voice. While she wanted to reassure her team, Bumblebee couldn't find it in her to lie.

"No, Speedy… I don't think we'll know until it's far too late to stop it."

Más y Menos gave each other identical, worried looks, expressing their fears in their native language.

"This is not going to end well, will it?"

"No, I do not think so. But we can hope."

_Continued in Chapter 6: Reflection (or Guess What? It's Later!)_

Author's Note: Alright, so, like I said, shorter chapter, written in Rufus' POV to keep you guessing on a few things. Seems our mysterious villain is getting ready to appear (about damn time, right?)! Oh, and some warnings for the next chapter: the title is pretty damn literal, there will be some angst, it will be alternating between Kim's and Shego's POV's, and I will probably push the T rating just a little. I have considered writing lemons (aka "mature" scenes *eye roll*) to accompany this story but that is to be determined. If I did, they wouldn't be part of the main story, purely because I want the overall arc to be T and the lemons probably won't be plot important anyway. I'm still mulling it over. Eh.

A big thanks to those of you who have made it this far. This certainly isn't on the shorter side of things and I thank you for your patience.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Oh, guess what? I still don't own Kim Possible or the Teen Titans. I do, however, have one massive hangover. Win.

Foreword: I usually don't put notes at the beginning but I figured, for those reading each update, that you might want to know why Chapter 6 has changed. Well, I had the original Chapter 6 almost finished on Friday, but something just didn't seem right about it, no matter how I looked at it. I couldn't figure out what it was for the life of me. Then, on Saturday, I embarked on a lovely eleven hour drive from Colorado to Texas. Seven hundred miles gave me lots of time to think about where I want to go with this story. So, once I got back on Monday, I completely scraped it and started anew, having had more than enough time to iron out the details. I still feel like something is off though... as always, comments are appreciated.

Chapter 6: The First Horseman (or The End Is Nigh)

Thankfully, the trip back to Titans' West was uneventful. His teammates, exhausted from the stress of having their bodies switched, each fell into uneasy slumbers while Cyborg piloted the ship. Well, he mainly used the auto pilot function, busying himself with analyzing data from the trip East. After returning to the T-sub, he noticed the radio frequency and internal communication systems had been activated. A quick investigation uncovered a high pitched sound played roughly the same time he registered the first pitch in East's Common Room. If his suspicions weren't sufficiently raised before, he was now damn sure that someone was targeting the Titans. But who? And why? The contemplations would have to wait; they were approaching their beloved Tower and everyone needed to be awake for the docking sequence.

"Wake up, everyone, we're almost home," his tone did nothing to hide the growing fear welling in his heart. On the monitors, he watched as the other four awoke, though only Shego and Kim appeared alarmed at first, relaxing as soon as they remembered what had happened. Cyborg was impressed; considering it was the second time they'd awoken in each others' bodies and the third time they'd awoken in the past twelve hours, the two young women were coping surprisingly well. Without saying a word, the five Titans docked and disembarked, eager to head for their respective rooms. "You guys get some sleep. I'll work on when the ray will wear off tomorrow."

_Doy! He didn't expect us to stay awake until he figured it out, did he?_ Shego thought irritably, keeping the gripe to herself. She was too tired to be sarcastic and it didn't feel right knowing the words would be coming from Kim's pink lips rather than her painted black ones. _The things I do for you, Princess!_

_Being in Ron's body was weird but this..._ Kim followed Shego, keeping silent as they neared their rooms, lost in her own head. _This is just... too good to be true!_ Ever since her chat with Raven, Kim had been reconsidering her decision to not tell Shego how she felt. _Would it be a fair trade off? What we could have here for the absolute agony of losing her? Then again, tomorrow might never come... _"Uh, Shego! Wait!"

"What is it, Pumpkin?" Shego sighed, turning back towards her own body standing in the middle of the hall. With only sleep on her mind, she had naturally bypassed Kim's door and was heading towards her own further down the hall. They each thought it strange, staring at their own body standing across from them, in the middle of a hallway in Titans' Tower, in Jump City, in a world completely different from their own. Oh, and they just spent the last three days saving said city as superheroes. _We have some amazing coping skills._ Shego thought wryly. _That, or we're all insane… either one, really._

"Well, uh, I think... you know," Kim stammered, mentally kicking herself. _Damnit, now is definitely not the time for this! I should just make up my mind and be done with it!_ As the emerald woman's face wasn't used to portraying confusion, Shego stayed perfectly unaware of Kim's inner turmoil. "Uh..."

"Spit it out, Kimmie, we don't have all night," Shego damn near growled. _I should've have made that 'we're all insane' crack. I swear the last thing I need is for her to lose her damn mind in _my_ body._

_Come on, Possible, you can do anything, you can do this!_ "Well, Shego, I think we need to-"

Suddenly, a God awful alarm blared through the Tower, causing the two young women to flinch.

"Are you- What the Hell is that!" Shego yelled, covering her ears as the two reversed direction and went to the Common Room. As they arrived, she took note of how very, very worried Robin, Cyborg, and Jinx looked. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the center of the Titans' attention: Commando, manning the control station. _Of course. We're being called out._ While the other Titans rushed into the room and waited for the news to be relayed, Shego couldn't help but roll her eyes as the alarm continued to blare. _What were her words again? "Trust me, when we get called out, there's no sleeping through it"? Literal bitch._

"What's the sitch?" Kim demanded politely- an amazing feat- instantly stepping up to the console as the representative from 'Team Possible'. Robin looked far more grim than usual, not even noticing that Kim's voice came from the emerald woman's body.

"Don't know; every proximity alarm in the city is going off but no visuals. All we have is a general location where the majority of the alarms are registering major activity. We need to get there _now. _If you can fly, get a move on, everyone else, follow me. Titans, go!" Robin ignored the attempted objections from Raven and Beastboy, heading for the elevator at a run. Left with little choice, Shego, Kim, Raven, Beastboy, and Starfire headed for the roof while Cyborg, Commando, Jinx, and Drakken moved to follow Robin. Kid Flash was already en route, using his super speed to run across the bay. Ron and Terra were the last to move; Ron heading after the airborne Titans and Terra moving towards the elevator.

"Ron! What're you doing?" Terra seemed more worried than usual; she hadn't been on a mission in a long while. "You can't fly."

"No, but you can. There's the boulder up there from training yesterday, remember? Come on," Ron held out his hand, a confident smirk on his lips. "I know you can do this, Terra. I trust you."

The blonde girl hesitated for half a second before grabbing Ron's hand and dragging him as they dashed up to the roof. With the Common Room empty, Rufus made his appearance, quickly hopping up to claim the abandoned seat at the console. With no one else staying behind, it fell to him to provide whatever support he could. Silently, the naked mole rat prayed his friends, all of them, would return safely.

**Son of a-! Which button is it again?**

**The green one on the right panel! Hit it twice!** Kim would've teased the other woman about having difficulty with her purple and black suit but the situation didn't exactly call for their usual banter. Instead, the two tried to give the other a crash course on how to operate the high tech additions. **Let's hope this goes to hand-to-hand. We have similar builds so our usual tactics wouldn't change too drastically.**

Shego laughed, having finally figured out how to deactivate the safety mode for Kim's suit. Hearing that damn alarm every time they passed too close to a building was downright infuriating. **Similar builds? You wish, Princess; my breasts are bigger.** _Is this really the time for comparing breast sizes? Ah, Hell, no time like the present._

**Oh no, I'm not as **_**big**_** as the mighty Shego! Either Hell just froze over or it's the apocalypse.** Kim mocked back, wishing she could throw her hands into the air for added emphasis but quite certain she'd wind up plastered against one of the skyscrapers if she attempted it. _Glad some things _still_ don't change._

**Oh, bite me Kimmie!** _I could think of something _else_ she could do, really..._

**I'd rather ea-** _I can't believe I almost said that!_ **I mean, uh, we're coming up on the coordinates!**

_Huh, nice cover._ Shego thought with a devilish smile. She'd have to question her dear Kim Possible about what she was going to say later. A quick glance around confirmed her suspicions (as well as nearly sent her careening into a nearby building, what with Kim's energy board and all) as mostly everything street level had been, well, leveled. Fires were burning, vehicles and just about everything inanimate was smashed beyond recognition, and the people... _Oh God... those people..._

"Raven... those people... are they...?" the orange skinned alien voiced the fear in Shego's heart, shared by Kim as she noticed the several limp, lifeless bodies below. Rather than Raven, Beastboy answered, his voice strained from having to concentrate on using Raven's powers.

"Yeah, Star... they're dead... they shouldn't even be here, it's barely six in the morning!" Beastboy, so consumed with grief at the sight below, didn't register the look of surprise on Starfire's face. What with the sudden call, no one had explained what Control Freak's ray did to any of the Titans back West. Starfire contemplated asking what had happened but knew it wasn't the time to focus on such things. The five Titans, beaten to the scene by Kid Flash, arrived in time to catch the Titan knocking back a few android looking machines, bipedal monstrosities with the initials "MWM" emblazoned in bright red. They reminded the veteran Titans all too much of Slade's bigger, meaner attack droids. "I have a bad feeling about this, guys."

**Why does this seem so annoyingly familiar?**

**They kinda remind me of those stupid toys Drakken turned into killer robots but... smaller.**

**Ah yes, Prom Night. **Kim couldn't help the involuntary sigh. That was the night that changed everything. _Weird how one moment can completely redefine every relationship I have... turning points like that don't come along very often._

Shego wondered briefly why Kim had sighed at that, remembering that night vividly. It was the only time she thought the mighty Kim Possible might actually hate her. _We can dwell on the past later too... Man, I'm going to hate when 'later' gets here; I'm going to be _so_ busy. _**Yup. Ready to kick some ass, Princess?**

**Oh, absolutely! **With that, the five airborne Titans joined the battle, each trying to thin out the horde before the others showed up.

"Hrah!" Starfire yelled, beginning to throw starbolts at the mechanized army from above. Taking the cue from the Tamaranian, Raven shifted Beastboy's form from a peregrine falcon to the largest she could figure, a T-Rex, and started thrashing about. She usually didn't pay much attention to _how_ her boyfriend fought and now wished she had at least some clue which form would be best. Beastboy was too busy to give any advice, trying to focus the empath's powers without losing control of them. As he effectively disassembled four of the mechanized menaces (and blew two up when he screamed after they scared him), he decided that while Raven's powers were cool, he'd take shape shifting _any_ day. It surprisingly took a lot less effort to change from a fly to a humpback whale than to control emotion based powers capable of blowing half the city to the moon.

_Talk about luck... if you can even call this that!_ Kim tore through another bipedal nightmare, feeling some semblance of normalcy. The robots had the same reaction time of the henchmen Drakken once employed, making them easy to outmaneuver. With minimum effort, she was tearing the robots apart, though that was in large part thanks to Shego's comet powers and the suit. _Let's just pray this stays hand-to-, uh, robotic... hand... whatever... God I need some sleep... _**Shego! Need any help?**

**No, Princess, just be careful with my body! If you scratch the paint, I'll have to punish you!** Shego ducked a mechanical claw-like thing coming from one of the droids, swinging up with a strange sort of beam sword emitted from her left gauntlet. Even Kim was surprised by the feature, though she didn't have time to dwell. The two fought near each other, subconsciously keeping an eye on the other, or themselves, depending on how you look at it.

**Shego, why does it always sound like you're hitting on me?** Kim grinned, then wanted to smack herself. While they tended to tease each other during their patrols of Jump City, this was _not_ a situation where diverting attention from the problems would help either of them. That only worked for emotional issues, it seemed.

**Dunno, Princess, why does it always sound like you're interested? **Came the seductive reply. Somehow, it was invigorating to tease and joke and fight, unleashing her full strength on the unfeeling robots. Though she didn't have her plasma powers at the moment, Shego felt Kim's suit had more of a strength modifier than her own. _Come on, Kimmie, aren't you going to answer? _Shego's thoughts were interrupted as five droids near her jumped simultaneously, attempting to capture or smother her. As she tried to get out of the way, Shego was pleasantly surprised when all five of her would-be attackers were knocked aside by two very large rocks. With a back flip and a slightly imperfect landing (Shego temporarily forgot she had a smaller body mass to contend with), Shego looked up from her crouched position near a city bench to see Terra hurling rocks at the assembled droids and the buffoon tearing a few apart himself, though mostly in defense of Terra. As per his usual, the buffoon chose not to seek out the danger, just address the ones that charged his way. _Well, a year ago, he would be cowering under something and shrieking in terror, so I guess that's a step in the right direction._ The thought brought a smirk to her lips. All of Team Possible had undergone changes since coming to Jump City. Strange what a week and a half could do.

"Lynn! What's the situation?" Robin called out, jumping off his R cycle and letting the bike careen into a group of the metal monsters. Shego looked his way and her eyes narrowed, anger bubbling up at the stupid question. **You idiot, we're under attack! Start hitting something!** Shego blinked, then cursed to herself.

**He can't hear you! Hit the-**

**Damnit, we don't have time for this!** Instead, Shego looked at the boy wonder, activated the beam sword on her right forearm, then charged towards the wreckage and started disabling as many as she could reach. Robin just stared a moment before starting after her, taking barely three steps before a little green badger bounded towards him, then returned to the form of the changeling he knew, though it wasn't the changeling at all.

"Robin," Raven's tone conveyed enough for the Titan's leader to know things were far more dire than they seemed. "Things just went from bad to worse."

Terra hurled another boulder before causing the street to crumble, the droids losing their footing as the earth beneath them buckled and cracked. The other Titans capitalized, bounding from one jagged outcropping to the next, destroying or disabling foes as they went. However, the portion of street they were working on, perhaps an eighth of a mile at most, held but a fraction of the robots spread throughout the city. Cyborg, with Drakken as his copilot, was weaving through the throngs of destructive droids, trying to take out as many with his sonic cannon (thankfully, he'd built one into his left arm too) while keeping his precious T-car from hitting them head on. While he reasoned that a crash might injure, or kill, both occupants, there was also a little voice in his head reminding him he'd just had the damn thing waxed.

"It's sad how much this reminds me of the old days," Drakken mumbled, managing to hit a few robots here and there with his electronic wave disruptor. "At least these Diablos don't seem to get bigger."

"Hold on, Doc, this is gonna be tight!" Cyborg gripped the steering wheel hard and took the turn going nearly fifty, the tires drifting along as they came upon the site where the rest of the Titans had arrived. Unfortunately, rather than come to a safe stop, the T-car slammed into another wave of droids, effectively taking out about twenty of them, plus the T-car. "Aw, Hell, now you've gone and done it!" Cyborg stepped out, pissed beyond belief. Without much regard to his power cells, he activated both sonic cannons and started blasting at the robots heading his way. Drakken, on quite the other hand, was using the disabled vehicle as cover while still using the disruptor, careful not to point it towards Kim, Shego, or Cyborg. The last thing they needed was half the team taken out by one of their own weapons. His attention was caught by the sound of squealing tires as a large, black, brown, and green painted vehicle swung around a turn, one set of tires leaving the ground briefly. It looked a bit like an elongated hexagon, with huge wheels and a turret mounted on top. Unlike the T-car, this vehicle was obviously made to endure a lot of punishment, and the good Doctor remembered why it looked so familiar.

"An Armored Security Vehicle! Looks like Commando and Jinx have come to join the party," he couldn't help but smile at that, knowing that the good guys were showing up to fight someone other than him. "I like this good guy stuff more and more every day!"

"Jinx, just remember-"

"Don't point down behind us and 'give me a burst', I got it!" Jinx yelled over the sounds of the roaring engine, the screeching metal from droids being run over, and the turret itself as she brought the droids into her line of fire. Before she pulled the trigger on the MK 19 mounted into the turret [which is, more or less, an automatic grenade launcher capable of leveling houses, for the record], Jinx let out a battle cry, already certain victory was on its way. "Eat lead, you rust buckets!"

"Careful! Cyborg might think you mean him!" Commando laughed and kept the vehicle moving, drawing lazy circles on the Eastern half of the street, keeping Jinx informed each time they had to turn. They couldn't afford even one round going back West, where the rest of the Titans were fighting off the hordes. The destroyed section of the street prevented most of the droids from moving in from that direction, giving Starfire and Terra perfect cover for long range attacks while Kim, Shego, and Robin kept them covered from the sides. A little further up, where the T-car was crashed, Drakken focused his fire on the Northern side of the area while Cyborg concentrated on the South. Kid Flash, Raven and Beastboy were floating between the West side and the center, helping where they could. While it wasn't the most ideal battle plan, considering the odds and the ease with which they were working together as a team, each Titan felt their confidence rising.

"Come on, Titans! We're pushing them back!" Robin called out, using two bird-a-rangs to made a sword and slicing through another droid. They'd fought odds like this before; today seemed no different. If anything, it was going far better than he expected. As the battle raged, he heard the explosions stop and machine gun fire follow. He knew eventually they would all run out of ammo, energy, and steam. But they were pushing back the limited horde; an update on his communicator indicated those not in the immediate area were withdrawing. And in that instant, the boy wonder felt his spirits drop completely. It was always when things were looking bright that the real threat reared its head. He had to stay focused and be ready when whoever was controlling these robots showed up.

"Shit! Black on ammo!" Jinx yelled, carefully trying to move to the seat next to Commando.

"Mark nineteen and fifty cal?" the soldier yelled back, trying to keep the vehicle steady until Jinx finished moving.

"Yup! Time to dismount and kick ass the old fashioned way!" Jinx smiled, already unfastening the hatches above their heads. Commando nodded and pulled the tightest turn she could, heading back towards the other Titans. As soon as they were far enough that the ASV couldn't be easily taken by the enemy, the two young women lifted themselves through the hatches and jumped off the top of the vehicle, racing to keep the Eastern defense line. As Jinx started throwing her purple tinted curses, Commando grew a good two feet and her muscles bulged, a mighty roar tearing from her throat as she jumped into the air and brought her fist into the chest of a droid.

**Getting tired yet, Pumpkin?** Shego panted, dodging a few clumsy swings from the robots and easily slicing through them afterwards, the metal pieces littering the ground around her. This had been one of the longest days she'd ever experienced and, while she was starting to feel sluggish, the adrenaline coursing through her system helped keep her moving. _I never thought 'Adrena Lynn' would be so... literal._

**Nah, these guys are easy! Now, if these things were an army of plasma wielding beauties, we **_**might**_** be in trouble!** Kim called back, throwing a few plasma blasts just over Robin's head, saving the boy wonder from a nasty blow. **I'm not going to lie though; I am totally diggin' the team scene!**

**Yeah, it is quite the morale booster. I think I could get used to this 'winning all the time' deal!** Shego somersaulted over half a dozen droids and started slicing into them from behind, having nearly miffed the landing again. _What was that bit about 'plasma wielding beauties'? The exhaustion must be getting to her._

Kim turned to look at Shego but realized there was no time to question her about possibly staying a hero. _I'll get around to it later... if later ever comes!_ As if in compliance with her wishes, the robotic army stopped moving, causing the Titans even more grief. That their persistent enemy suddenly came to a standstill could mean only one thing. **Come on, whoever you are, be a good little villain and show yourself.**

Shego thought about commenting on Kim's sweet, almost inviting tone but was sidetracked by a sudden movement. High above them, standing on the edge of a building, was a figure cloaked in black robes, a stark white mask covering the face, fashioned in the shape of a skull, sans the jaw bone. In the figure's right hand was a long, silver stick, like Robin's bo staff but thicker and more sinister looking. **Apparently, this guy missed the memo; it's Christmas, not Halloween, moron!**

**No kidding. Why can't villains ever have a decent fashion sense? **

**I'm sure you're not including **_**me**_** in that statement.**

**Of course not. You're my hero anyway. **Kim wanted to laugh at Shego's lack of rebuttal, unaware she'd substituted 'my' for 'a', but was watching the mysterious figure and waiting for the other Titans to act. Finally Robin stepped up, his voice nearly echoing through the destroyed city street.

"Who are you? What do you want?" All eyes were on the mysterious figure as it stepped off the roof and dropped six stories to the street, appearing to float just before touching down. Two hands appeared, encased in heavy black metal, one motioning for the assembled droids to retreat while the other pulled back the hood and removed the skull mask. The Titans stood in shock, staring unbelieving at the sight before them. Commando was staring in absolute horror at a face she'd only seen in the mirror.

"Your questions are irrelevant." Each Titan felt a chill creep up their spine as they heard a voice so devastatingly similar to Com's sweep over them, though it lacked emotion of any kind. "However, as it will not change the outcome, I will divulge the information you seek. I am Death, the first horseman, come to collect my sister, War." Steel grey eyes moved to Commando, who was standing stock still, trying to process the information. "Sister is being uncooperative. Unexpected." Continuing her sweep, Death came to rest on Raven, still in Beastboy's body. "Also unexpected. Brother, you were not supposed to be here. This would explain why the recovery team was unable to find you."

Raven slid forest green eyes to Robin, hoping to convey the question she so desperately wanted to ask. The boy wonder understood, stepping forward to pull Death's attention away from his fellow Titan.

"What 'recovery' team? Why are you looking for Beastboy?" Robin demanded, earning him that hollow steel gaze.

"It is Human nature to be curious, to thirst for knowledge. I do not have to supply this knowledge, however. I am charged with putting an end to it." Her right hand moved, putting her left low on the staff. Without warning, the skull mask reappeared and an eerie green glow shot out, turning the staff into what looked like a very deadly scythe. The woman was floating- there was no other way to explain the way she moved, hovering a few inches off the ground- and turned towards the nearest target, which happened to be Ron.

There was almost no time to react. One moment, she was a good twenty feet from him, and the next, Death was within arms' reach, that energy scythe poised overhead to deliver a killing blow. The entire Titans crew, including Shego and Drakken, could only call out in horror as Death descended upon their friend. Ron had no thoughts in his mind. It was completely blank. Suddenly, Ron was knocked away, a bright yellow flash appearing just before the green glow bit into his skin. However, as the two hit the concrete and rolled along from the momentum, Kid Flash let out a cry of utter pain, a chunk of flesh missing from his right calf. Whatever energy formed the deadly green scythe, it cauterized the wound as soon as it hit.

"Flash!" Jinx cried out in anger and worry, sending a flurry of her curses towards Death. Though seemingly stunned at first that she'd missed her target, the black cloaked woman recovered and effortlessly dodged Jinx's barrage, retreating from the advancing Titans. Watching one of their own attacked so mercilessly, knowing that scythe would leave no room for any kind of error, the Titans prepared themselves for a fight to the death. All except Commando, who still couldn't believe the creature before her. The Titans were ready to pounce, fueled by rage, summoning their strongest attacks to direct at Death. Kim was the first to move.

Death swung the scythe but missed, Kim ducked the destructive weapon and charging forward, landing a solid punch to the woman's gut. Her reward was the smallest of grunts from Death as her right elbow drove down into the base of Kim's neck. She momentarily registered the pain but brushed it off, rolling away as Shego delivered a flying kick to Death from the other side, using Kim's attack to flank the black clad woman. Though Death lurched forward from the attack, it did nothing to stop the backswing of her scythe, missing Shego by mere inches. The other Titans watched, ready to tag in if either woman needed the break, silently cheering their companions on as Kim delivered a wicked, plasma covered punch to Death's lower ribcage. Again, the attack seemed to have no effect as Death slid sideways, retreating enough to keep both attackers in sight. The scythe rose and both heroines tensed, ready to attempt dodging the attack they knew was coming.

A red light suddenly lit up on Death's left arm, pulling her attention away from the fight. Without so much as paying the Titans any mind, Death deactivated the scythe and her mask once again disappeared.

"Pestilence has been retrieved. The second horseman will ride when next we meet, Titans." Death suddenly rose into the air, the mask returning and her hood flipping up. Just before she disappeared, though, those steel grey eyes sought out hazel ones, then forest green. "I shall come back for you, War, Famine. Very soon."

And with that, Death, along with all the droids not destroyed during the fight, were gone. It occurred to the Titans that they should either attempt following Death or somehow plant a tracking device before she got too far away but the idea was quickly abandoned as Kid Flash let loose another ear piercing scream. Robin surveyed the damage as Jinx, Cyborg, and Starfire rushed to their injured friend. Finally, his gaze fell on Commando, who hadn't moved since seeing her own face, heard her own voice, announcing herself as Death.

"Commando!" his tone was much harder, more severe, than he ever thought he could muster. Hazel eyes tore away from where Death had vanished and met that masked gaze. "You had better start talking."

"I-I swear, Robin, I don't know! I-I've n-never seen her before, I m-mean, s-she's not, I don't, please!" Commando sank to her knees, interlacing her fingers behind her head as she stumbled over her words. She had no idea who Death was or why they looked so alike; she was completely lost and didn't know where to look for help. Despite his anger, despite what he'd just witnessed, Robin couldn't help but believe her. He'd confronted people before on dishonesty or putting the team in danger and knew the varied reactions he was likely to receive. Anger, denial, fear, they were normal, but the one thing he'd always noticed was whoever he confronted would eventually turn and run, attempt to distance themselves from the scene of the accusation. They would always flee. Commando was surrendering, though, unable to do anything else. Despite everything, he had to believe she was telling the truth.

"Doc, put her under for now," Robin commanded, looking to Drakken. Though the blue skinned doctor didn't seem too keen on the idea, he reluctantly did as he was told, rendering the Soldier unconscious. Starfire, Raven, and Beastboy were already en route back to the Tower with Kid Flash, rushing him to their medical wing while the rest of the grounded Titans used the abandoned ASV. It could only seat four, comfortably, but the rest of the Titans managed to hold on to the grips at the top of the vehicle. It sure as Hell beat walking. Only Kim and Shego remained at the battle scene, still working up the will to fly back to the Tower as the sun rose. Somehow, the bright pinks and purples painting the sky held none of the happiness Shego always associated with those colors. They looked almost morbid.

**Shego?**

**Yeah, Princess.**

**Thanks. For saving my life.** Kim looked down, staring at the concrete. She knew, beyond a doubt, that if Shego hadn't landed that flying kick, Death would've killed her outright.

**Well... guess we're even on that score.** Shego wanted to ask why Kim had saved her back at Titans' East but figured the question pointless. The only reason she wanted to ask was that she _knew_ she had saved Kim's life for reasons other than the girl currently inhabited her body. That thought never even entered her mind. _I just couldn't bear to lose her. Just like I can't bear to tell her the truth. _**You still owe me though.**

**I know.** Kim smiled, carefully omitting that Shego owed her too. The score was three to one, after all. **We should head back. It's been a long day.**

**You said it.**

_~Titans' Tower, Common Room~_

"Rufus, you are the man!" Ron exclaimed, giving his pet a high five just as Kim and Shego entered. The entire Tower, with the exception of Jinx and Kid Flash, had gathered around the console, where a mostly intact droid was propped up with wires leading from it to the computer. Cyborg was eagerly processing the information while the others looked on, except for Drakken, who had his Catatonia Inducer trained on Commando's prone form. She was lying face down on the floor, arms flung out to her sides, a picture of compliance. It almost gave Shego a sense of smug satisfaction. Almost. _I must be losing my touch..._

"Good work, Rufus. You saved us a lot of time," Robin nodded, still watching over Cyborg's shoulder. Seeing the confusion evident on Kim and Shego's faces, Raven quickly explained.

"While we were gone, a small squad of those droids came to attack the Tower. The defense system took most of them out but Rufus managed to commandeer one and hacked the droids system, digging up all the information he could about the robots and Death," Raven glanced at the beaming naked mole rat. "He's a lot smarter than we give him credit for."

"Congratulations, buffoon, your pet is smarter than you'll ever be," Shego drawled as she headed for her room, convinced she would hear whatever the rodent uncovered sooner or later and decided 'later' didn't bother her at all.

"Hold up you two, you're gonna wanna hear this," Cyborg's tone was so severe, Shego stopped, not wanting to push any of the strained Titans over the edge seeing as she was probably the most calm of the group. After all, Kim was still alive and uninjured and so was her body. Shego wasn't so attached to her new friends that Kid Flash's injury really affected her. "Rufus found the company that designed these attack drones. Megacity Weapons Manufacturer. The company specializes in high grade, deadly biowarriors and mass produced mechanized weaponry."

"Biowarriors? As in anthrax, smallpox, that sort?" Beastboy questioned, trying to keep his anger in check. The last thing they needed was him accidently blowing the Tower up with dark energy. Cyborg shook his head, his expression grave.

"No, BB, not even close. MWM took organic specimens and turned them into living war machines. It's a little like what happened to Red Star, except these guys used surgery and other cutting edge techniques to completely integrate weapons with organic matter," Cyborg hit a button and schematics flashed on the screen. "Here's what Rufus was able to hack from their remaining databases. This is the designs for our fat metal friends." Cyborg kicked the drone lying at her feet, more out of annoyance than anything. He typed a few commands into the system and the screen filled with a much different, yet familiar, image. "These are the designs for a biowarrior, the first in a series belonging to Project Endgame. This design was dubbed 'Death' and built to reflect the ultimate destructive power of MWM." The screen flickered to a test video, depicting a young woman, looking almost exactly like Commando, but with black gauntlets and pants, plus a black breastplate that lacked a combat knife but sported a red stripe down the middle. A slew of robots, models that looked like the droids they had fought while others looked far more menacing, stood before her. At the signal, the scythe appeared in her hand and, just like earlier, Death flew towards the horde, slicing through with ease while also using projectile weapons, though the video held such poor quality it was impossible to register from where the attacks originated.

"That's not good," Raven stated, crossing her arms. There was no other way to put it; this looked like bad news all around. Kim winced as Death finished with the last of the foes assembled. _Could it get any worse?_

"No, it's not. The company briefly considered stopping with the first model, seeing as how it could easily engage and destroy vast armies. However, the initial designs prevented the model from distinguishing between friend and foe. They designed another unit, which they dubbed 'War', just as effective as Death but with an almost Human comprehension of the idea of war, completely able to distinguish between friend and foe, plus able to analyze data at a high speed, allowing the model to even make distinctions between high and low value targets. War was also given the ability to govern the Collective- the combined, I guess you could say, 'brains' of both units." Another schematic had appeared during his speech, another video appearing as he finished. This time there was no doubt; Commando was standing at the center of the screen. Again the test began, but instead of a scythe, Commando, or War, produced a beam sword, similar to Kim's, and energy shield, and moved exactly like Death did around the space, prioritizing targets and failing to engage friendly units. The screen held all the analytical data, indicating which targets were which, displaying all sorts of technical information that only three of the assembled could truly understand. Commando watched, shocked, unable to recognize herself. "The project then changed, having found a much greater use. Project Endgame was scrapped in favor of Project Judgment." Another video appeared, with Death and War standing side-by-side. While the other clips had lasted a few minutes each, this one barely lasted thirty seconds. "Realizing the power a full team of these biowarriors could be capable of, plans were created to complete the series. Pestilence and Famine." Two more schematics appeared, mimicking the previous designs though with minute changes. "With the completed team, MWM planned on taking over the world and destroying anyone who got in their way."

"Okay, but I thought she said Beastboy was Famine," Ron scratched his head, looking to the green teen. Raven, still trapped in Beastboy's body, rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"You're right Ron but that's because neither of the later two units were completed," Cyborg pulled up a report, large gaps missing from corrupted data. "According to the last reports filled at MWM, the War unit began questioning the morality of its design and eventually opted to destroy the weapon lab rather than continue along as a puppet of MWM. Hold up-" Cyborg began typing furiously, a smirk coming to his lips. He turned to look at Commando, his tone losing some of its edge. "You don't remember any of this, do you?"

"No, Sir," came the dejected reply, Commando looking as miserable as a person could be. Kim felt bad for her; it obviously weighed heavily on her to learn exactly what she'd been designed for and how close she came to being a tool to destroy thousands of lives.

"There's a reason for that. You see, the breastplate you wear houses the computerized version of your organic mentality: your mind and personality. It records and stores every thought, decision, and image, anything that passed through your mind. It's then transmitted to the database back at MWM," Cyborg pulled up a wall of text and scrolled to the bottom. "At least, it used to, until you decided it wasn't what you wanted to be doing and broke free, removing your MWM transmitter and the majority of your memory database." Cyborg walked over and indicated that she roll onto her back. Complying, Cyborg reached down and opened the compartment beneath her combat knife, revealing a miniature switchboard and an empty slot. "In a way, you're a little like me."

"Actually, these designs greatly mimic my own synthodrones," Drakken mused, staring at the schematics. "Rather than using a standard metallic exoskeleton, they integrated malleable metalloids into organic tissue, allowing the units to change size and appearance at will. Impressive."

"Now's not the time to be awestruck, Titans," Robin remained curt, though he did feel sincere concern for Commando. "We're still at square one despite everything Rufus managed to dig up. We don't know who 'Pestilence' is, we don't know why Death thinks Beastboy is 'Famine' and we have no idea where to start looking for the answers."

"Perhaps Beastboy's form is preferable for the sort of upgrades needed?" Starfire offered, staring at the schematics, trying to decipher them.

"It's possible but my genetic code is already extremely unstable. Trying to turn me into _that_ could kill me!" Beastboy sighed as he heard a small explosion off in the distance, probably dark energy blowing up something unimportant. It wasn't in the direction of the medical bay, so he didn't care. "And I'd let myself die before being turned into one of those monsters. Uh, no offense, Com."

"None taken." Commando's voice held such sorrow that even Shego felt a little bad for the fallen Titan. _Yup, definitely going soft..._

"Or maybe it's because he was the one Death thought would be easiest to take... Death said something about a recovery team, remember?" Cyborg mused, staring at the ceiling. Suddenly, the young man's organic eye grew wide, and after quickly running to the console, he looked at Raven with an apologetic smile. "Raven, I'm really sorry for this." Cyborg hit a button and Raven fell to her knees, gripping her head and crying out in agony as Beastboy's body began to shift of its own accord. Cyborg quickly punched another button on the console, ending Raven's pain. As Beastboy glared at him, the dishes in the sink suddenly went flying. "Calm down, BB, I had to make sure. The T-sub recorded something playing over the radio frequency. It _should_ have played just as we were leaving Titans' East airspace. But it didn't because-"

"-because we were _inside_ being hit by Control Freak's switching ray!" Kim finished for him, her voice slightly panicking. "So, if that pitch was meant to make us crash, or at least cause Beastboy to bail out, then Death must've been the one to make Pantha go berserk!"

"Pantha..." Robin growled. "_That's_ why she was still alive! Those wounds... not from fighting but from surgery!"

"Death turned her into Pestilence... and let us heal her..." Cyborg quickly punched in to Titans' East. "Titans' East! Come in!"

"Ugh, good to see you again, Sparky," Bumblebee coughed, groaning as she tried to remain standing. From what they could see, the Titans were suddenly remembered of the time Terra had disabled the security systems and Slade's army had invaded, tearing the Tower to shreds. The East Titans looked worse for wear, each sporting several cuts and lacerations, some minor while others were huge gashes. "Too late to make that Distress Call?"

"Bee, are you-"

"We'll be fine. They outnumbered us like crazy but... they didn't come for us," Bumblebee looked on the verge of crying. "They took Pantha. She was locked up down in the cell, so they just took the whole thing. She couldn't even fight back."

"Damnit!" Robin yelled, pounding his fists on the counter. The Titans looked just as angry and helpless, knowing that one of their own had been spirited away and turned into a monster against her will. Ron hadn't met Pantha but heard the story from Beastboy during the ride back to the Tower. Suddenly his eyes went wide.

"We need to get her out of here," Ron stated, rushing over to help Commando up. "About the same time you guys heard that pitch, I thought I heard something here too. Remember what Death said? How it was unexpected for Com to be uncooperative? I bet there's another pitch and it'll affect Com the same way! We need to-"

Too little, too late. Without warning, Commando threw Ron across the room, the blonde boy fetching up against the wall with a loud crunch. Before Drakken was able to render Commando unconscious, she managed to fling him as well, using the blue doctor to knock down Cyborg and Robin. The rest of the Titans watched horrorstricken as their supposed friend made a mad dash for the huge plane of glass next to Bumblebee's shock expression.

"Sorry, Titans, but all's far in Love and War." Commando gave a wicked grin as she tossed a small cylinder towards the center of the room. "One day, you'll thank me."

Shego's eyes widened in apprehension as the pin fell away from the soldier's hand. _That little…! Kim! _"Grenade! Duck!" Surprisingly, Shego felt herself thrown to the ground, her own green and black suit covering her as Kim attempted to shield her own body. _Must she _always_ be the hero!_ A loud bang resounded through the space, leaving everyone's ears ringing. Starfire and Beastboy were furiously rubbing their eyes while the rest of the Titans groaned, massaging their temples.

"Hey, guys, you okay?" Bumblebee called out to the disoriented Titans, though they could barely make out the words. Cyborg groaned, thankful half his hearing was mechanical, and thus had an 'off' function.

"We'll be fine, Bee. Just a flash-bang…" the metal teen surveyed the damage and felt slightly relieved. It could've been far worse.

"Never a dull moment around this place, is there?" Drakken mumbled, stretching his arms out and trying to work a kink out of his neck. "So what happens now?"

"I think it's safe to say, ugh," Ron groaned as he sat up. "That we'll be seeing _three_ horsemen next time."

"Well, at least gel boy got exactly what he wanted," Shego replied dryly, slightly happy to see the soldier gone. _I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of her soon though…_

_~Outskirts of Megacity~_

"Unexpected. These new additions are much more valuable than they realize." Death's voice still lacked any sort of emotion as she stared at the screen within an abandoned MWM training facility, deep underground and mostly destroyed. "The data you recorded is priceless. I was not aware of these additions when I first laid the plans. We shall not be deterred."

"Yes, I know." Came the smug reply. "We shall make our move soon then? To capture Famine?"

"Yes... soon." Death turned as a new figure entered the room. "Welcome home, sister."

"Strange how some things never change." War replied, a hint of amusement to her tone as she looked around the once bustling control room. Stopping next to Death, she looked up at the images flashing on the screen. "They are an excellent team."

"Indeed. Strong alone, even more so together. Their primitive biology has desperately tried to copy our design."

"Technically, they are older. Perhaps our design is an improvement on their biology?" War had a wry smile as she studied Pestilence and the progress of her final augmentations.

"Your idle Human-like fancies will not be tolerated, War." Death's words, though intended as a sort of reprimand, sounded more like a gentle reminder without any emotion.

"Death, my sister, we are partially Human ourselves."

Death sighed, a habit she'd been programmed to mimic though there was no emotion attached to it. "Partially or not, we must rise above these idiotic reflexes in order to fulfill our design."

"A quagmire then, as we need a Human to destroy the Humans." War glanced to Pestilence. "Don't you think sister? You are awfully quiet."

"I have been focusing on the task at hand." Pestilence replied severely, with the lingering vestiges of annoyance in her voice. "We have but one spot to fill and several possibilities. Even once one is chosen; it will be difficult to isolate the selected from the flock."

"Nonsense. I have watched and seen. The loyalty they bear for one another is paramount. Unbreakable, almost. Besides, why take only one when we could take them all? We could design our own horsemen. Expand our parameters." War offered, studying the data on the screen. "Create additional horseman. Humans add to their own stories all the time. We could do the same."

"What would we call these extra horsemen?" Pestilence questioned, still concealed in shadows. She was weak from the final procedures and needed time to rest. War just smiled.

"Easy, sister." War looked at the images on screen. "We are named for that which destroys Humankind. We shall take them and one shall be Famine whilst the others become the Seven Sins of Human lore."

"This would take time. We only need one to complete the original designs." Death faced War, not bothering with portraying some sort of Human emotion, like her sisters seemed prone to do. War just laughed.

"There is always room for improvements, Death."

"Our original designs are already perfect. What improvement can be made?"

"I agree with War. More horsemen, will only make our ultimate goal that much easier to achieve." Pestilence added, motioning towards the screen. "We could always just take Famine and begin Project Judgment while the Sins recover."

"There is sense in that plan. If anything, Humans are resilient. Once we lose the element of surprise, having reinforcements would be most advantageous to the Project's design." Death stared at War a moment longer, processing her words and finding the logic compatible with her programmed understanding of logistics and combat strategy.

"Very well. We shall take them all. But Famine is priority."

"Agreed." War accessed the database mentally, having replaced her missing memory transmitter. Without difficulty, she singled out the files compiled by Death and Pestilence, categorizing them by which augmentations they would eventually undergo as they joined the Project. Finally, one file was left, displayed before the three horsemen. "The green one shall become our Famine. Soon, the four horsemen shall ride."

"Then we shall cleanse the world and fulfill the specifications of our design."

"Indeed. And it shall be glorious."

_Continued in Chapter 7: Reflections (or Confusion, It's A Good Thing)_

Author's note: I covered almost everything in the foreword. Hopefully, you guys can forgive the delay. I'm pretty sure the challenge I'm having with this is writing in two perspectives instead of just one but I really wanted to convey both Kim's and Shego's reactions to these events. At least next chapter will end the headache of the body switching. Though it might get a little… confusing…


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** If, by the seventh installation of this story, you haven't figured out that I don't own Kim Possible or the Teen Titans… you might be a redneck. *shakes head* I can't believe I just made that joke. I must be outta my mind. I also apologize in advance… lots of dialogue and thinking… oh the thinking…

Chapter 7: Reflection (or Confusion, It's A Good Thing)

"Good catch, Shego," Robin muttered, watching the screen as Cyborg tracked Commando's transmitter, heading northeast. While the Titan had initially thought her comment one of her typical snide remarks, he was surprised to learn that his questions were indeed being answered.

"Whatever, gel boy. Look, can we go to bed now?" Shego stretched, trying to work out some of the stress from Kim's body. "I think we've been 'on duty' long enough."

"Yes, Shego, you, Kim, Beastboy, and Raven can go get some sleep. You too, Cyborg, you need to recharge," Robin made a dismissive motion as those he listed off started heading for their respective sleeping quarters. "Oh, and Raven... thanks." He gave a small smile to his friend, which made Beastboy cock an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I gave Starfire an idea on how to... celebrate their anniversary."

"So _that's_ why they were gone on that 'mission'! I knew it!" Beastboy smiled triumphantly as the two headed down one corridor. Kim and Shego headed their own way, replaying what had happened just a few hours ago, the first time they tried to retire. Kim was working up the courage to say what she'd been thinking earlier while Shego was considering a similar request. However, as they entered the hallway, Shego gave up her consideration, failing to see any logic to it.

"Good night, Princess," Shego said rather flatly, running a hand through red locks as she trudged down the hallway.

"Shego, wait!" Kim called out, ready to roll the dice. _I think I might have a gambling addiction..._ "I, uh, think we should talk."

"Can't this wait until morning?" Shego groaned, not wanting to get lectured on whatever Kim felt like talking to her about. She assumed it couldn't be good.

"No, Shego, it can't... I keep telling myself I'll deal with it later, but every time I say that, I catch myself wondering when 'later' is going to get here," Kim felt strange speaking to her own turned back. It probably made it easier though; she doubted she could say what had been on her mind since her talk with Raven if it was Shego's backside she was staring at. Then again, it was hard to say _anything_ when she was staring at the emerald woman's backside. _Focus, Possible!_ "I want... I want to talk a-about, um... us."

_~Common Room~_

"If you guys are so sure, why don't you do something about it?"

"What exactly are you suggesting?" Drakken raised a brow at the blonde girl, a slight smile to his lips. Ron was listening from the kitchen, trying to decide what cereal to have for breakfast. "That we _try_ to set them up?"

"No, no, I'm just..." Terra sighed, running her hands through her hair. "I think it might take a little push, is all. They obviously have issues expressing themselves, issues they've had _for years_, if what you both say is true. I realize this is a pretty drastic situation- they both nearly died a few times over today- but if _this_ isn't enough to make them change, they _might_ need your help!" Terra shrugged, glancing at the recently replaced window that had been shattered by Commando's dramatic escape. "Never really know how much time is left... don't you think they deserve to be happy?"

_~Raven's Room~_

"It's all coming together now, isn't it?" Beastboy's tone was low and sad, violet eyes staring out the window. Raven sighed as she wrapped her arms around him, wishing the ray would wear off quickly. She missed his hugs and kisses and it just wasn't the same being in his body.

"Yes, Gar, everything is falling into place. Soon, it will all be over."

"I never thought it would be this hard. It hurts, Rae, knowing what's going to happen and being unable to stop it. I know it's for the best but I just feel so guilty, and angry, and sad, and-and!" Beastboy turned and buried his face into her chest, crying uncontrollably. "Wh-what's with these emotions! I-" he sniffled, trying to control himself. "-I feel like I'm on a roller coaster!"

Raven smiled, knowing _exactly_ what had the inner changeling all riled up. "It's just a side effect, Gar."

"Side effect of _what_ Rae?" she kissed his forehead and laughed.

"Get some sleep. We'll talk about it when you wake up."

_~Back to the Hallway~_

"Y-you what?" Shego whirled around, facing her own body, trying to keep the surprise and whatever else was trying to worm its way to the surface out of her voice. _Oh God, it's finally happening, I'm losing my damn mind!_

"A couple days ago, I was talking to Raven," Kim tried tricking herself into thinking she was talking to a mirror. It almost worked. Almost. "See, she knew I was upset and thought she could help me. She did, in a way... uh." Kim bit her lip, suddenly second guessing the wisdom of her actions. _Damnit! I had this planned out!_ "Shego, I-I respect you, as an equal and I know that's all I'll ever be to you. Nothing... more. I know you hate being a hero, even if for just a little while, and I just... couldn't be a villain, it's not in me. But..." Kim closed her eyes. She'd completely lost her train of thought. _Where the Hell am I going with this?_

_Say it, Shego. Say you could deal with being a good guy. Say it'd be worth it!_ Shego opened her mouth to let the words go but couldn't find the guts to say it. _World class thief and supervillain and you're reduced to mush by a teenage cheerleader... if your career wasn't over before..._

"I just wanted you to know that, despite everything, and maybe because of it, I... I..." _Love you! I love you, damnit! Come on Possible!_ "...really... respect... you." She finished lamely, averting her eyes while mentally kicking herself. _Kim Possible, globetrotting heroine and complete, utter idiot. The ring of truth is devastating._

"Oh... thanks... back at you..." Shego turned back towards her room, silently thanking the Gods she didn't speak when she had the chance. _That would've blown up in my face... Respect is good... but maybe..._ "Uh, Kimmie..."

"Yes?" Kim asked, hopeful that maybe Shego had understood what she was trying to say despite her inability to say it.

"Do you... trust me?" Shego was still facing away, unsure if she wanted to face the redhead at all.

"With my life." Kim deadpanned without hesitation. _I trust you with my heart too... if I could just find the damn courage to tell you!_ Again the redhead tried to work up the guts to tell her but failed.

"Good... I trust you too..." Shego worked hard to keep her composure. "We make a good team..." And w_e'll never be anything more... but at least she trusts me... that's almost as good as love..._

"We really do, Shego," Kim whispered. _Damnit! I can't walk away from this empty handed! I need... something!_ "You know, we should sleep in, uh, each other's room. Just in case." _Where did my brain go? On friggin' vacation?_

Shego sighed, rather heavily. "In case of _what_, Princess?" _I swear she's doing this to torture me._

"If we come under attack, we'll at least have the appearance of being ourselves. It might buy us a few seconds. Or we might wake up our normal selves, so we'd wake up in our own rooms." The reasons were flimsy at best but Kim desperately wanted one night in Shego's bed, if for no better reason than to fall asleep inhaling her scent, something she obviously would never get a chance to do otherwise. _If I can't tell her, at least I'll have... something more... just something..._

Little did she know, Shego was considering that very notion herself. _Just one night in Kimmie's bed... would make this entire ordeal worth it._ Realistically, it was a stupid idea and they were both aware of this. They'd seen what happened when Death was confronted with something 'unexpected': she retreated. The smartest thing would be for the Titans to all change rooms, especially with Commando joining forces with the other horsemen, and use the confusion to their advantage. But logic didn't come into play during this exchange. This was about something else altogether, something more dire than the threat of annihilation. _Obviously, my priorities are way out of whack… _"I, uh, guess you have a point, Pumpkin."

_Oh… Thank God that worked! _"Good. Uh, g-good night," Kim nodded and brushed past Shego to enter the emerald woman's room. Once safely inside, Kim sighed and made her way to the bed. _For just one night, I can pretend we are something more..._

_Kimmie... why can't you see? _Shego sighed and turned, entering Kim's room and almost throwing herself on the bed, utterly exhausted in every sense of the word. Despite the time spent lying in the ICU, Shego felt like she hadn't rested in well over a month. Rolling over, she stared up at the ceiling, a colorful mix of purple and pink, a small blotch of green hanging from a string. _Is that mistletoe? Leave it to Kimmie. Her room is so damn cheery. It's not that bad though. _She conceded, feeling herself slowly slip into slumber. However, before she quite reached it, the door opened.

"Look, we need to talk." _Buffoon, one of these days, I'm going to nuke you._

"She's not here, next room over," Shego replied in a tired voice, covering her face with one hand.

"I'm not looking for Kim. I'm here to talk to _you_," Ron stated, taking up the most intimidating stance he could muster. Intrigued, Shego sat up, running her hand through the red locks she'd always admired.

"If this is about getting thrown out the window-"

"This is about the two of you being _completely oblivious_ to each other's feelings!" Ron practically yelled, silencing Shego rather effectively. "KP is my best friend. We've been best friends since pre-k which, I'll save you the math, is over fourteen years. We even _dated,_ if you recall. I've seen her crush, and be crushed, fight impossible odds, laugh in the face of danger, fall in love and have her heart torn out, I've seen her cry and smile, angry and happy, depressed and loving, I've seen every side of KP there is to see, except for ONE!" Ron held up a finger to accent his point, muddy brown eyes glaring at the body of his best friend. "There is ONE side I have only seen from afar, ONE side to her that she only shows to ONE person, the person she's been in love with _for years_ but was too damn stubborn to see it herself. Because to everyone else, except this ONE person, she's either the world saving cheerleader, the world's best friend, the world's greatest daughter, or whatever family tie applies, or she's the world's kindest teenager. But there's ONE side of her they _don't_ know about! This ONE side is the side she shows _to YOU_, Shego!" Ron Stoppable, the buffoon, had managed to stun Shego, the world's greatest thief, speechless. "That ONE side is when the two of you fight, because that's the _only_ time Kim looks complete. Think about it. She has a super genius who can make her _any weapon_ at her request. Which means that, for the past four years, she could've asked for a freakin' dart gun, or, Hell, a damn taser, to shoot and stun you, and stopped Drakken's plans _without even breaking a sweat!_ You wanna know _why_ KP never did that?" Ron marched up to Shego and stared into the bright green eyes of his best friend from a mere three inches away. "Because she sees you as her other half. The yin to her yang. The cheese to her nachos! You are her _equal_ and Kim has _never_ seen someone as her equal. She's never seen herself as 'normal' because, hey, let's be honest, what 'normal' kid says she can do anything, gets called to deactivate a laser security system, and _does it_?" Ron stepped back, heading towards the door. "I don't know what you think your feelings are for her, Shego, but frankly, I'm damn sure I know what they are." Had she not been present for it, Shego would not have believed the absolutely terrifying glare Ron Stoppable gave her. "Either get the guts to tell her how you feel or get the Hell out of her life. If you can't give her the love she deserves, give her the chance to find it elsewhere. And before you _even think_ of calling me a liar, check the mirror."

A few minutes passed as Shego stared at the door. _Check the mirror?_ Bright green eyes searched for the vanity mirror she'd noticed the first time she saw the redhead's room. Jerkily, feeling almost numb, Shego approached the site and just stared, seeing only Kim's reflection. Then, she looked down, and gasped at what she saw. Where most young women her age put their makeup, Kim had newspaper clippings spread out. Not just any clippings either. Ones showcasing the new dynamic duo of Shego and Adrena Lynn. Surprising close ups and angles, as Shego never recalled seeing a camera's flash, but in every shot, the two of them were smiling. Both were cocky smirks or smile or grins, a hint of smugness in those faces, like they knew they were the baddest gals on the planet. _We are, aren't we? One Hell of a team. Unstoppable. Unbeatable. Perfect. Could it be that simple?_

_~Shego's Room, Same Time Ron Entered Kim's Room~_

"Drakken, Shego's-"

"In your room, I am aware of that, Kimberley," the blue skinned scientist waved her off, walking over and sitting next to her on the bed. Much like Shego, Kim had flung herself into the green and black comforter, hoping she would never wake from her slumber once it started. _Okay, this is weird._ He seemed to hesitate before speaking, which struck Kim as particularly strange. "Okay. Speaking as a completely third party observer with absolutely no personal interest in the matter-"

"You stole that from _She's the Man_," Kim pointed out, keeping her defenses up. Drakken just laughed.

"Good, you're still sharp despite the rather tumultuous day," Drakken looked at her, and for the first time, Kim felt like he was looking at her like a daughter rather than the spoiler of most of his plans. "I'll go ahead and skip the pointless preamble and head straight to what you _need_ to hear." Drakken sighed heavily. "Before you came up to us at the party, Shego was telling me she was turning in her two weeks' notice as my assistant. Now, while I initially thought it was because she didn't like leaving the villain scene, I have talked to her a bit since then. And other Titans. You two... fighting each other had always been an accomplishment, right? It was something the two of you looked forward to, I know that. As time wore on, when I was trying to take over the world, Shego became more critical of my plans. I thought that was to discourage me, but, as Shego is one crafty woman, I realized it was to _entice_ me to act out more often. It gave her more opportunities to be with you."

"But Shego-"

"Shego probably loves more than she'll ever be able to express," Drakken cut her off, getting off the bed and heading for the door. "She'll never admit it though. She's too stubborn, too strong. She would hate the idea of making you weak. Of betraying you, in some way. For all the dominance she might display in other areas, she's going to need you to take the reins. You'll have to step up and go to her if you want to make things work. I'd do it soon, if I were you. You never know when it will be too late. You already almost lost her once. Could you stand for it to happen again?" With that, Drakken left, leaving the teen heroine too stunned to do anything. _Shego loves me? No, it's not possible, too good to be true... or is it?_ She thought back to the promise they made before entering the East tower._ I tried so hard to tell her... I know what I feel... I know what I want... but is it _right_? Will it last?_ Kim got up and noticed the full length mirror in the corner of the room. It was Shego's emerald eyes staring back at her.

_~Out in the Hallway~_

"I think that went rather well. Kim seemed most receptive to my advice," Drakken smiled, though it fell slightly as Ron calmed himself down. "Please tell me you didn't do something stupid."

"Hehe, well," Ron rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "I figured she'd understand 'anger' a little better than sympathy or compassion."

"You realize she's going to fry you, right?" Drakken crossed his arms, moving down the hallway back towards the common room.

"Not if I say it was Terra's idea!"

"You're going to throw your new girlfriend under the bus like that?"

"Oh no, I got this worked out. See, Shego won't blow up at Terra. Starfire, maybe, but not Terra, probably just throw a glare and be done with it," Ron Stoppable sighed, following the good doctor. "Besides, it's either that, or I say it was _your_ idea."

The times he'd seen Shego angry flashed before the man's eyes. "... I agree; she wouldn't be mad if she knew this was all Terra's idea."

_~Shego's Room / Kim's Room, Same Time~_

_The buffoon is lying. Kimmie... is Kimmie. My Princess. She's loyal and trusting... I can't let her know... One mistake and I'll break her... I can't lose her again..._

_Shego, why can't I tell you how I feel? I can admit it to myself, to Raven, but why can't I say it to the _only_ person who matters? And there's still the problem of what happens when we go back home..._

_But what if it is true? What if we could be something more than friends? More than teammates? True partners... is that even possible?_

_Then again, what if it all ends tomorrow? At least I'd have a few hours with her, right? And if I really die, like Raven said, then I'd just have that brief time... but it would be so worth it._

_Anything is possible for a Possible. We could make it work. I could do this, be a good guy, for her. I'd be willing to change... but would she accept me if I changed? She fell in love with me as a villain..._

_Isn't that selfish though? Could I put her through that? I die tomorrow, she lives another thirty years cursing herself for not protecting me... if she doesn't know, she could move on quicker. She'd be stronger if she wasn't looking out for me too... Could I make her weak even if it made me stronger? Am I that heartless?_

_What am I talking about, it's Kim! She'd accept me no matter what. She's big hearted... then I'd be a weakness to her. Like today. But no, Kim would've jumped out that window no matter what, even if it was my body falling. She'd jump out of a window to save that obnoxious brunette Junior is dating without hesitation. That's just who she is... but I could _help_ her, keep her safe... protect my Princess_

_We could be strong together though. We could make it work... I... could maybe learn to steal. Hell, I had to steal that recipe to keep Drakken from stealing it. That wasn't so bad. One heist every now and again... maybe a Humanitarian mission every now and again... I'm sure we could live comfortably without stealing often... God, Hell _must_ have frozen over; I'm considering becoming a villain! For her though... for my Shego... but, if I went bad, would I still be her Princess? Of course I would... but even if I told her..._

_Could I even tell her?_

_Would she even believe me?_

The two young women stared at the reflection of their beloved, steeling themselves to say the words they'd kept secret in their hearts. Simultaneously, they opened their mouths... but no sound came. After a minute of trying, both turned away from the mirrors in disgrace.

_I can't tell her... _

_I can't do it... _

_Kimmie..._

_Shego..._

_I'll always love you... but I'll never be able to say it..._

_I'll always love you... but I'll never be able to say it..._

Shego turned away from the redheaded reflection, feeling her heart break in half. The fear in her was too great to overcome. She would never be able to live with herself if she betrayed Kim's trust. Despite her recent actions, she still liked stealing and would be happy once her stint as a hero was over. She would end up destroying her Princess. She refused to let that happen. As she flopped back onto the bed, Shego let her mind wander, running her hands over the body that would never be hers, in any sense, the young, beautiful body of the teen hero she would always love. _I could always slip out of this uncomfortable uniform... and just _happen_ to take a peek... I could do it and she'd never even know..._ Shego sighed, interlacing her hands behind her head. _Kimmie wouldn't do it though... I guess it's just one of those things I'll never know..._

Kim had stayed staring at the mirror, not wanting to turn away. It was tearing at her that she would never be more than the woman's adversary, her challenge, her enemy. No matter what she felt otherwise, Kim knew that she would never have a chance with the emerald goddess. It just wasn't in the cards. Emerald green eyes scanned the luscious form the mirror depicted, knowing by the look of the suit that it came off the same as hers. _I could take a quick peek; see what I'll never get to touch... Shego would do it, right? Like she hasn't already, I bet you that's what she's doing right now!_ The thought brought a smile to Kim's lips. _Well, turnabout _is _fair play._

_I wonder what Kimmie's up to... probably sleeping._ Shego thought, idly running a hand across the material covering the redhead's stomach. Oh how she wished to see the skin beneath that purple and black fabric. _Come on, you can do this! Think about something else!_ Shego closed her eyes, trying to imagine something other than waking up next to the beautiful redhead.

_Oh God, she's a Goddess... literally!_ Kim's mouth dropped open, eyes roving over the reflection. Beneath the green tinted skin, Kim could see Shego's muscles ripple, her skin reacting to the cool air with goose bumps, looking more gorgeous than she could ever have imagined. She was staring, burning the image into her mind, praying she would never forget this sight. _Shego... God, do you even know how amazing you are?_ Kim closed her eyes and sighed, wishing this wasn't a onetime sneak peek she would never get again. But all things come to an end. Some a bit sooner than one might expect.

~Common Room~

"... so Shego might be a little mad, but hey, I think it was a great idea, Terra," Ron chirped as he shovelled some cereal into his mouth. Terra just stared at him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you think this was _my_ idea? I said you guys might need to _talk_ to them, I didn't say barge in there and give 'em lectures!" Terra replied defensively. Drakken just shrugged.

"How about this; if either of them is unhappy with the turn of events, it was our idea, and if they are happy, it was your idea. Sound fair?" Drakken took a big sip of his cocoa moo knowing full well he was lying. If Shego barged in upset, he was high tailing it elsewhere, end of discussion. Terra sighed, shaking her head.

"You guys are going to deuce it the minute Shego comes barging in here, ready to rip someone's head off. I can feel the plasma burns already..."

"Friends! Are you saddened by the loss of Commando?" Starfire floated over, holding a huge bowl of what looked to be chocolate pudding. "I grieve for our lost friend. I hope she might return to her good senses soon. I do not wish to fight her. Here, take a spoonful of the Pudding of Sadness to ease your grief."

"Well, I do enjoy pudding," Drakken smiled, reaching for a spoon as Ron did the same. Terra thought about warning them but, remembering how dead she was going to be when Shego finally showed up (Hell, Kim might even join in too), decided it to herself. She could be quite vindictive, when the mood struck.

"No thanks Star," she gave the alien a heartfelt smile. "Everyone grieves in their own way."

Whatever response Starfire had was overshadowed by Drakken and Ron's shouts of horror. While Drakken downed his cup of cocoa moo, Ron dashed to the kitchen, looking for something to soothe the pain in his throat and gut.

"Oh! That's just-just wrongsick!"

_~Kim's Room~_

_Where the Hell did that mistletoe come from? _Kim wondered briefly before panic started rising within her. She was looking at the ceiling. Her ceiling. Not the mirror she'd been standing in front of a few seconds prior. _Which means I'm in my body... and that means..._ Kim bolted upright, fear evident on her face. _She's going to KILL ME!_ As if to confirm her fears, a voice, filled with rage, echoed into her room.

"KIMMIE!" _Oh, I am SO dead! _Kim didn't even think to rush to her door and lock it. Not that it would have helped anyway. Instead, she leapt to her feet and waited for the enraged woman to come; trying desperately to find the words that would lessen the wrath so rightly directed her way.

A few seconds after the howl of anger, Shego barged into the room, her hands aflame in green plasma. Taking Com's advice, Shego had Raven pick out a bathrobe for her, one that was the same green as the rest of her room and came to about her mid thigh. For the briefest moment, Kim remembered what was under that skimpy robe and her breath caught... then she remembered she was about to die and snapped her bright green orbs to the emerald ones glaring daggers at her.

"WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?" Shego demanded, stalking slightly closer. "THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUNNY? TAKE A LITTLE PEEK? WHAT, PRINCESS, DID YOUR CURIOUSITY GET THE BETTER OF YOU?" Shego was outraged. After holding herself back, to open her eyes and see herself standing nude in front of the full length mirror? Her anger was beyond words. _And I'm worried about _her_ trusting _me_! "WELL! SPEAK UP!"_

Kim looked to the Heavens, praying for the wisdom to know what she should say. Of course, with that, only one idea filled her mind. _Well, Possible... might as well go for broke... the worst she can do is kill you, right?_ Kim returned her gaze to Shego. "You really want to know?"

"DAMN STRAIGHT POSSIBLE!" Shego roared, her anger still in full swing.

"Not at all," came the subdued reply. Kim approached the woman, steeling herself for the only course of action she could think of. Shego was ready for a punch or a kick, something to distract her while the redhead ducked out of the room. She _wasn't_ ready for Kim to grab hold of her robe and yank her forward, bringing their bodies together as Kim crushed her lips to Shego's. The shock extinguished her plasma lit hands and caused those black painted lips to part in a surprised gasp, which Kim took advantage of and let her tongue slip in to claim the older woman's mouth. It was beyond unexpected and, yet, pure bliss. The world suddenly melted away. With the initial wave of shock over, Shego began to return the kiss, her now harmless (well, as harmless as Shego gets) hands reaching up to bury in that fire red hair, her tongue dueling the teen's for dominance as the kiss deepened. How much time passed? It's impossible to guess and neither party cared. When it finally came to an end, both gasping for air as their hearts raced, Kim took a step back, nervous to meet those intense emerald orbs. _Where the Hell did that come from? That... that... was amazing! Damn!_

"You, uh, you're standing under the mistletoe." Kim pointed to the ceiling and immediately wanted to kick herself in the face. _You idiot! You shouldn't have said that! Now she's going to think-_

"REALLY, POSSIBLE, really?" Shego tried to scream and failed, her anger dying with each word. "What is this, Tease Shego Day?" Most of the anger was gone now, replaced by a terrible sorrow. Kim felt her heart tearing at the broken look on Shego's face as she started to frantically shake her head.

"No, Shego, no, but... it gave me the courage to..." Kim sighed and turned around, fists clenched, thinking that her gamble wasn't going to pay off. She'd lost. Somehow, the knowledge she'd just lost it all gave her the ability to say the words that had been stuck in her heart for so long. "Shego... I know you look at me as your... your challenge... Your Kimmie, your Princess, the woman you've claimed as your adversary... that I'll never be more... it kills me. I... so badly... want to be with you, Shego." Kim's voice but she held her tears back by sheer force of will. "Just like I'm your Kimmie, you're _my_ Shego. Here, on the same team, I feel... so close to being complete. I want us to be together... but you hate being a hero and I... would try to be a villain for you, but it would just destroy us." Kim took a deep breath, trying to desperately keep herself together. Her voice refused to cooperate and her body was trembling. She was afraid this would happen but there was no turning back. "I don't want to lose you, Shego, but I know this can't last forever. We'll eventually go home... and I'll lose you again..."

"Lose me?" Shego's voice was barely above a whisper. "Kimmie, _you_ left _me!"_

"W-what?" Kim balked, not expecting for Shego to interrupt her, especially not sounding so hurt.

"After we defeated the Lowardians, you quit! I tried..." Shego sighed, running a hand through her ebony locks. "I tried living without you and I couldn't. So _I_ went out of my way to get you back in the game... because I didn't think I'd be anything _but_ your nemesis, your challenge, and I couldn't stand losing _you_. But you're the one who left me, Princess."

"I-I never meant..." Kim could fight it no more as she turned around to face the emerald woman, tears falling from her eyes. "I never meant to hurt you, Shego, I swear."

"I know... how does the saying go? 'You always hurt the ones you love'?" Shego laughed derisively. "Guess that's only partly true."

"No, it's all true," Kim was surprised how steady her voice sounded despite the emotions raging within her. Quickly wiping away her tears, Kim met those shimmering emerald eyes. "I _do_ love you, Shego. I have for years."

Shego stared at the redhead a moment, trying to process the information. _She loves me? She loves me… Kim Possible, Princess… loves… me…_ She wasn't exactly sure what to feel. Relief, of course, joy, sure, but… confusion too. "Why didn't you ever _say_ anything?"

"I just... didn't think we could ever be together. You enjoyed your job with Drakken so much… I never pictured you giving it up for someone like me, a goody goody hero. I just didn't think it was possible."

Shego bit back the urge to use the redhead's family motto. The silence settling between them started to grow, making Kim shift uncomfortably, expecting some sort of response from the woman staring at her. All she got was a soft 'I see' before settling into silence once more. Finally, those emerald orbs narrowed slightly. "How does any of this explain why I was standing naked in front of a mirror?"

Kim winced, hearing the disappointment in her tone. "Well, I figured if I couldn't be with you, the way I want us to be, then I would do the next best thing. I decided to take a peek and bask in the glow of a Goddess," she swallowed, unsure how Shego was really reacting. On the surface, she seemed upset, but the redhead couldn't see beyond those beautiful emerald eyes. "A-and I kissed that same Goddess so that for a moment, just one moment, I could pretend that I, Kimberly Ann Possible, the girl who can do _anything_ could, just for that moment, pretend she had _everything_ she ever wanted." Kim stared at the ground, certain her pleading fell on deaf ears.

"Why, Kimmie?" Shego subconsciously raised her hand to gently trace her lips, remembering the intensity of their kiss.

"Why what, Shego?"

"Why does the moment have to end so soon?"

"B-because," Kim squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears once again attempting to escape. "Because I can't ask you to stop being who you are... you like to steal things and do whatever the Hell you want. And I'm so _thankful_ for that, because every crime you committed just brought us closer together! But I _can't_ be with you, knowing you're off stealing something, and not feel guilty. It's programmed into me! I _want_ to look past it, look the other way, let you continue to do whatever the Hell you want because you'll be _mine_... but it would kill me... just like if I asked you to join me, to become a hero, save the world... it would eventually destroy you. And that's something I can't bear to do either..." Kim stopped trying and let the tears fall again. "There's no way to make it work."

"Maybe not... but why stop at just a moment?" Shego stepped forward, enveloping the younger woman in her arms as she regained her usual teasingly seductive tone, planting a seed of hope in the younger woman that was blossoming quickly. While the emerald woman was still a little miffed about the entire ordeal, it occurred to Shego that the two women had switched roles, temporarily. Kim was the one who took the step out of bounds while Shego stayed the course of the straight and narrow. Yes, it was just once, but didn't that mean _something_? That maybe, just maybe, they could make it work by finding some common ground, a happy median? _I know I've been thinking it… the question is, am I thinking clearly?_ Shego knew she wasn't thinking one hundred percent clearly at the moment. She was fighting to keep her building lust in check. Considering she was standing in Kim's room in a short bathrobe and nothing else after the redhead had kissed her passionately, who could blame her? "We could have all night, if you want."

"N-no, Shego," Kim's voice almost cracked as she refused, hope dampened, though she made no move to escape Shego's arms. "I don't want just a night. I want _more_ than that! B-but the moment we go back..."

"Princess," Shego whispered, taking hold of the younger woman's chin and lifting those shimmering bright green orbs to meet hers. Knowing what would come next, she leaned down and placed a kiss on those soft pink lips, not nearly as heated as the one Kim had given her, much softer and sweeter, and all too brief. _My last little joy..._ It hurt, the words she was about to say, but maybe it would help Kim... move on, as Ron had pointed out. "I don't _do_ relationships, Kimmie. They take a lot of work, a lot of energy, and they always end badly."

"No they don't! My parents have been married for _years_! So has Ron's!"

"They weren't international thieves or globetrotting cheerleaders either."

"So? Look, how about we make a compromise?" Kim was getting desperate. She'd come so close, was still so close, if only she could make Shego see. _Please, for the love of God, just hear me out!_

_I know I'm going to regret this... damn that 'hope dies hard' bullshit!_ Shego sighed, releasing Kim's chin and looking away, though she refused to let the redhead go quite yet. "What is it, Princess?"

"Let's just _try_ to make this work! Give it one shot and then, if- when we go back to Middleton, you're free to walk away. No strings attached," Kim bit back the vile taste in her mouth. This wasn't how she wanted things to go but it was the only road she had left to take. "We'll be together here and never mention it again. I'll go back to being the globetrotting cheerleader who chases the beautiful international thief around the world." She had to visibly swallow as she finished, wishing she'd never have to say the next words. "You can think of it as a... a string of one night stands, if that helps."

Kim buried her head in Shego's chest, snaking her arms around the woman's slender waist. While she wasn't about to use her ultimate weapon, the puppy dog pout, she was going to do damn near everything else in her power to keep Shego rooted to that spot. The emerald goddess rested her chin on top of Kim's head, trying to think of Kim's proposal like a high stakes robbery, looking at all the angles with cold calculation. It wasn't working. She wanted it too bad and she couldn't bear to see Kim in so much pain. _She's right here... she wants this as bad as I do... she's the only person I really trust... I've come this far on the hero side... maybe we could make it work... and if not, I could walk away, for her sake... _"Kimmie... we can try, just... don't be too hard on me... alright?"

Kim couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't worry, Shego. You'll see... relationships aren't as bad as you think."

"Maybe you're right Princess... we'll see."

_~At the Water's Edge~_

"Okay, so here's the plan," Ron reasoned, pointing across the water to the City. "The moment we see Shego coming, we start swimming. If she tries to come after us, then we let the squids take us down below for a merciful death. Sound good?"

"Yes!" Terra and Drakken replied, nodding vigorously. They had heard Shego's cry of rage, though they didn't hear what she actually had screamed, and assumed it had to do with them. They thought logically: at least this way they were prepared for the world of hurt yet to come.

_~Common Room, a few hours later~_

Raven, still in Beastboy's body, was sitting at the table drinking some green tea when her boyfriend stumbled in, gripping his stomach and looking a bit paler than her skin usually was.

"Feeling alright, Gar?"

"Ugh, no! Somethin' must be, urg, wrong with you, Raven. I woke up from a sound slumber _just_ to puke!"

"Yes, well, morning sickness does that to you," Raven replied calmly, hiding her smile behind her mug. Beastboy got from the door all the way to the table before her words hit him.

"Wait, morning sickness? Isn't that only-"

"Yes."

"So you're-"

"Yes"

"With my-"

"No." Beastboy, stunned beyond words, stared at Raven in complete horror until she cracked a smile. "I'm kidding. Yes, it's yours."

Beastboy blinked a few times before throwing his hands into the air, a wide grin on his face. "I'm gonna be a dad!" Instantaneously, a loud crash reverberated through the Tower. As well as the angry voice of one very ticked off metal teen. "Oops."

"Nice."

_~Titans' West Medical Bay~_

Kid Flash moaned, blinking quickly as he tried to get used to the light. He could still feel the phantom pain in his calf from where the energy scythe bit him, though Cyborg had carefully cared for it. The wound would be healed soon, and with the shots and vitamins lined up, he knew he would regain the muscle mass in no time, though running might hurt for a few weeks still. Oh well; he'd saved Ron's life and that was all that mattered. He tried to sit up, see if there was any food nearby, but couldn't, a weight laying across his chest and stomach prevented him from moving. Looking down, the speedster couldn't help but smile at Jinx, curled up on the bed with him, her head resting on his chest as she squeezed his midsection tight. He felt a little bit like a big yellow teddy bear, not that he was complaining.

"You were afraid of losing me, weren't you?" he whispered, tucking an errant purple lock behind her ear. "Don't worry, babe. I'm not going anywhere." He chuckled, looking around the sterile ICU with a grim smile. "I think that's a bit literal too."

_~Roof of Titans' Tower~_

"Everyone grieves in their own way," Robin muttered, staring across the bay to the city. He felt so... guilty. Knowing the Hell his team had endured while he locked himself in a cozy hotel room at a ski resort in the mountains... it just didn't sit right with him. But he knew he needed the break from everything. However, with the night's events, Death's promise and Commando's... War's defection, it was almost impossible to look at this like any other situation. This would take all the strength the Titans had... but today was not the day to call them. He'd sent out the reports, of course, alerting the various teams and solo heroes of the danger they all faced. He would have been concerned about using the devices, remembering the Brain's plan had revolved around acquiring one of the communicators, but War's had gone offline a few minutes after she stopped moving. Part of Robin wanted to believe she was still Commando, still the Titan who had been horrified to learn of her creation. The other part, however, could only think of Slade and Terra, of Brother Blood and Cyborg, Trigon and Raven… Red X and himself. Yes, they had overcome the darkness and proved themselves true Titans, but they had almost destroyed everything in the process and slipped through by the slimmest margins. He hadn't felt this dire panic, even when looking into the evil Trigon's eyes. Something about Death absolutely terrified him. Almost to the point where he wanted to call Bruce and ask for help, knowing that surely the likes of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman could defeat the horsemen. But that wasn't exactly an option. He would send his mentor a warning, something to give the Justice League time to prepare if the Titans failed, but it would be sent out later, when things looked worse than they already did.

He knew a location: somewhere deep underground roughly thirty miles outside Megacity. He knew who he faced: Pantha, Commando, and Death. He knew what they were after: Beastboy. He knew why: to eradicate the Human race. All that left was the 'when' and that, as always, was the hardest part: the waiting.

_~Common Room, Dinner Time~_

Kid Flash limped into the Common Room, with Jinx helping support him, a smile on both their faces as he teased her about her snoring. They were greeted by Beastboy jumping up, finally having returned to his own body, the biggest grin on his face.

"Hey, guys, guess what!" he positively beamed, hopping up and down from excitement. Jinx and Kid Flash exchanged a look of bewilderment before offering their own wild guesses.

"You discovered a new flavor of tofu?"

"You got a new video game?"

"Nu-uh, way better!" he practically leapt into the air. "I'm gonna be a Dad! Me! A daddy!"

"Oh, Lord, help us all," Jinx laughed, giving the green Titan a playful punch. "Good for you, Beastboy."

"Yeah, man, way to go!" Kid Flash offered a high five, though his expression changed to a thoughtful one. "Shouldn't you, ya know, get married before the kid is born though?"

"Absolutely _not_," Raven called from the table, setting down a plate of cranberries. Despite recent events, it was decided (by whom, no one was exactly sure) that Christmas dinner would proceed according to tradition. Turkey, roasted ham, cranberries, broccoli rice cheese casserole, the whole shebang, plus vegetarian friendly alternatives, was laid out on the common room table as the Titans assembled. Violet eyes threw a piercing look towards both young men. "I will _not_ have a shotgun wedding. If Beastboy _wants_ to get married, fine, but he doesn't _have_ to just because I'm pregnant. Besides, marriage is overrated."

"Raven, how can you say that!" Starfire floated over to the table, setting down a bowl of something that looked both inedible and still alive, a Tamaranian delicacy. She was happy for her friends and eager to eat something other than the Pudding of Sadness. "The union of two hearts and lives is a joyous occasion!"

"It is when it's a mutual decision by both parties but _not_ when it's out of perceived necessity," Raven snapped back. "Even _if_ a mutual decision is reached, it is not a requirement to have a grand ceremony or ornate display in order for the vows to be sacred..."

"Dude, you are so screwed when she gets to the violent mood swings phase," Kid Flash whispered behind his hand, receiving an elbow to his gut from Jinx. "Ow! Sure, pick on the cripple."

"You're only crippled now; shut your face before you become a eunuch!" Jinx growled quietly, hoping Raven had missed the exchange altogether.

Cyborg set down the last few plates of varying cakes (pies were banned in the Tower after the Mother Mae Eye incident) and looked to the other Titans. "Uh, should someone go get-"

"We're here, Tin Man. Or do you prefer Rust Bucket?" Shego called as the doors slid shut behind her and Kim. The rest of the Titans crew was happy to notice that Shego's voice was coming from her very own painted black lips, a very good sign indeed. They also noticed how Shego's arm was draped protectively around the redhead's shoulders but decided to ignore it for the time being. However, that didn't mean Cyborg wasn't going to step up to the plate.

"You know, I'm growing a little partial to Rust Bucket, but I know you can do better, Sour," he laughed at the annoyance briefly flashing through those emerald orbs. Just like Robin, it was fun to push Shego's buttons every now and again. "Besides, I was actually talking about Ron, Doc, and Terra. They've been down by the shore for half the day."

"Huh, I wonder why," Shego questioned dryly, not at all surprised the three stooges were off on some random adventure of their own design. Kim laughed, whispering so only Shego could hear.

"Twenty bucks says they're hiding from you." Shego just rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on, they aren't _that_ terrified of me." _They should be though, if the- Ron ever thinks of raising his voice to me again!_ "I mean, yeah, maybe Ron and definitely Drakken, but Terra? I don't even tease her, why would she be scared of me?"

"Well then take the bet if you're so cocky," Kim retorted, grabbing Shego's hand and tugging her towards the elevator. Waking up next to her emerald enchantress had put Kim in the sort of mood she didn't think even possible: absolute bliss. For the moment, she could stoutly ignore the thoughts of what would eventually come, the eventual good bye, because she still had Shego next to her. _I almost wish I do die like Raven says. I couldn't imagine going back to life before this... God, I sound like some obsessed lovesick school girl... I better snap out of it soon, I am _not_ going to die here. _Shego seemed reluctant to take the bait, so Kim pressed on with a smug smirk to her lips. "In fact, how about instead of twenty bucks, we raise the stakes? If I'm wrong, you don't owe me anymore and the score's back to three-nil. But if I'm right, you owe me another one. How's that?"

_When did Princess become such a gambler? Must be the alter ego; after all, what does a girl who saves the world on a weekly basis do for kicks?_ "Princess, you'll _always_ owe me at least one. But fine, let's go find them and prove that they're probably just staring at their reflections or something stupid like that."

"By the way, congratulations, Beastboy and Raven!" Kim flashed the two a brilliant smile, one they'd only seen while the duo had been out kicking ass in the city. Shego offered her own form of congratulations.

"I already feel sorry for you. Your kid will either be able to change into any animal at will or blow shit up when he's hungry. The 'terrible two's' will take on a _whole_ new meaning."

"Shego, be nice!" Kim admonished, slipping her hand in the older woman's and giving it a light squeeze. It was strange, the sensations such a simple gesture could engender but neither party wanted it to end. As the doors closed behind the two, the remaining Titans in the common room exchanged slightly triumphant grins. Cyborg suddenly started rubbing his hands together gleefully.

"How mad do you think they'll get if I start callin' them 'Sweet and Sour'?"

Beastboy instantly spoke up, eliciting stifled laughter from the Cyborg, Jinx, and Robin, leaving Starfire and Kid Flash slightly confused. "So long as you don't imply that you're hungry for Chinese, you might survive."

_~At the Water's Edge~_

"You know, I think if Shego was going to come after us, she'd have been here by now," Terra stretched her arms out, suddenly missing the comfy chairs of the common room or her own beanbag chair. Rocks were awesome for many things but they didn't make for the most comfortable seating.

"Oh, you don't know Shego," Drakken warned, crossing his arms while looking across the bay. "That woman can hold a grudge like no other!"

"Yeah! And she's mean too!" Ron childishly added, trying to skip a rock across the water's surface. He wasn't very good at it, but with Terra helping him, he seemed pleased with his sudden prowess. "I'm sure if we just hang out here a little-"

"HEY, YOU THREE!" Shego's voice suddenly cut across the calm air like a machete. Rather, more like the pistol at the beginning of the one hundred meter breaststroke as both Ron and Drakken dove into the water and started swimming as fast as possible. Terra just stayed where she was, opting to take her chances with the plasma wielding woman. With any luck, she was still in Kim's body and thus the blonde haired girl would miss the fiery death. "Where the Hell are they going?" The emerald woman walked to the edge of the water and crossed her arms, glaring at the two figures speeding away. There went Terra's hope of a plasma free death.

"Hoping to die mercifully at the tentacles of a giant squid rather than a slow fiery one," Terra sighed and stood up, raising her hands in the gesture of surrender. "In my defense, I told them to _talk_ to you two. I _never, ever_ told them to lecture you or barge in when they weren't wanted."

"So _you're_ the reason why we got those friendly little chats?" Kim suddenly appeared, a wide grin on her face while looking at Shego. "Seems you owe me one... and dinner."

"Whoa, Princess, I never agreed to that second bet," Shego instantly countered, turning to face the redhead in question. Terra was slightly taken aback by the glint of mirth in both sets of green orbs. Obviously, she missed something. "But, I could take you to dinner and leave our score at three to one. You know I like to stay on top."

"And _you_ know I'm much better at it," Kim winked, turning back towards the Tower to hide the slight blush creeping into her cheeks. Shego blinked a few times, then chuckled and started after her, stopping a second as she remembered why they'd come down in the first place.

"By the way, dinner is ready, so when tweedle dee and tweedle dumb are done being morons, let them know." Terra watched as Shego ran back up the path to Kim, hurling rather lewd comments back and forth in a teasing fashion. The blonde girl just waited until she was completely sure they were out of earshot before sighing happily, a smile on her face.

"Titans' Tower: all the drama of High School with all the libido of College. Why did I ever leave this place?"

_~Across the Bay~_

The binoculars lowered slowly, a wide grin on the lips of their owner. It was good to see that, after a very troubling experience, the Titans were close to acting normal. Tolerance of such disturbing events was a trademark of the Teen Titans and this reaction was anticipated. She hadn't anticipated Shego and Kim becoming closer but, if that kiss at the door leading into the Tower meant anything, their budding relationship would only serve to make her job easier. She had counted on the severe attachments of the Titans to make her ultimate plan work- Robin and Starfire, Beastboy and Raven, Jinx and Kid Flash, even Ron and Terra, and now with Kim and Shego, it just left one slightly weaker link with Cyborg and Doc. She had no doubts that their friendship was strong though; they would trust each other just like any of the other pairs but she would take caution not to put too much on them. It wouldn't help her mission at all if the bonds were broken. That just wouldn't do.

_"War. Come in. Your visual feed is unavailable. Explain."_ Commando groaned, wishing for a brief moment she had completely deactivated the Collective. Having someone talking inside her head was no way to improve her mood.

_"Calm down, Death. I'm sure it's just a glitch. My feeds have been deactivated for a while and your tampering with them hasn't helped any. What with trying to install the feed into Pestilence as well, it's probably just an overload. Easy fix. I'll take a look at them once I'm back."_

_"These Human expressions are unbecoming. Don't forget-"_

_"Don't _you_ forget who's _really_ in charge, Death. Your protocols require you to listen and obey my orders, and my orders are to drop this subject. Now, do you have anything of relevance to add?" _A brief moment of silence followed before Death accepted her orders and complied.

_"When will we begin the assault? The sooner we have the fourth horseman, and however many more we can collect, the sooner we can comply with our primary objective."_

_"Patience, Death. We need time to replace the workers lost during your attack."_ Commando smirked; hazel eyes shimmering as she stealthily left her observation point. _"Besides, they don't know where we are. We have all the time in the world."_

_"As you say, War."_

_Continued in Chapter 8: Doubting Your Demons (or Assault on the Bowels of Hell)_

Author's Note: I'll be honest, I ran out of steam here towards the end. I know it's stress from, well, my job that's getting to me and I know it won't be going away any time soon, so the next update might take a little longer than I'd like. I'm really sorry for the quality of these last few chapters; hopefully I'll get settled in soon and can get back into the full swing. Also, I managed to trade the headache of switch bodied characters for the annoyance of the Collective (which is almost like telepathy… or instant messaging, depending on how you look at it). Oy vey.

**Additional Disclaimer:** I also don't own _She's The Man._ If you haven't seen it, it's based off Shakespeare's play _Twelfth Night._ I found myself randomly adding movie quotes and song lyrics to this chapter… Don't ask why…


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:**At the moment, I technically, barely, own my disconnected cell phone, the clothes on my back, and a few books. Do you see 'Kim Possible' or 'Teen Titans' in that list? That's because I don't own them. I'm going to go cry in a corner now. Oh, and I also don't own Gundam Wing, which inspired elements in this Chapter. Shit's about to get real, yo.

Chapter 8: Doubting Your Demons (or Assault on the Bowels of Hell)

"Come on, tell me!"

"No."

"Please!"

"I said no."

"Why?"

"Because."

"So unfair."

"Life's unfair, Princess," Shego smirked, stretching her arms over her head. The two were sitting on the roof's edge, watching Jump City begin to fade into darkness. The day after Christmas was usually a sad occasion, given that the joy of the season had passed, but the events that transpired the day before- the deaths of all those people, Kid Flash's injury, Commando's defection- made it all the more morbid. Yet, there had been good news as well. Raven was pregnant, which had most of the Tower rejoicing, especially Starfire, who was desperately pleading to be the child's 'K'norfka'. The resident Titans had yet to explain what exactly that was but Kim assumed it meant something along the lines of 'Godmother'. _Orange skinned happy-go-lucky alien who can melt you with her eyes… strangely, I think _every_ kid would want a Godmother like that._Kim sighed, subconsciously leaning her head on Shego's shoulder. Her eyes widened as she thought Shego might object but was pleasantly surprised when the older woman slid a little closer and rested her head on top of Kim's. This was the other good part of Christmas; having been forced, through the strangest of circumstances, to admit her feelings to Shego. While there was still some question as to how the emerald goddess felt towards Kim, the redhead seemed bound and determined to leave that entire school of thought utterly alone. After sleeping most of the day away, trying to recover from the mayhem of the past forty eight hours, the two had retreated to the roof for some much needed fresh air. "Why do you want to know anyway? It's not important."

"It is to me," Kim replied, trying to keep her thoughts at bay. _Don't think about later. Concentrate on now. _"You said you'd tell us your name once Cyborg finished your holo-ring."

"Technically, he asked for _a_name, and I said I'd make the decision once I had the ring," Shego pointed out, pulling the ring out to examine it. Silver, perfect fit, with a green center as opposed to the usual blue hue, Cyborg had made everything to her specifications. It was touching, in a weird way, that a young man who was more machine could give her a chance to be completely normal. She didn't notice her expression change but it didn't escape Kim's notice, as she was looking up at the other woman intently. _She looks so vulnerable. Why couldn't she show me this side of her before?_ Then the redhead smirked as she nestled a little closer. _Wouldn't change a moment we've ever had together though. _"I think I'll go with Bonnie."

"Oh, _God_, no," Kim groaned, pulling away to look at Shego, not quite scowling at the older woman but definitely annoyed. Shego just laughed, pretending to think of another name. Suddenly, the redhead smirked. "Tell you what. How about, instead of calling you by some name _you_ choose, I give you one?"

Shego eyed the heroine suspiciously. "What kind of name are you going to give me? Something lame?"

"Sweetheart."

"…you're joking…"

"Nope," Kim grinned like a Cheshire cat, getting up from the ledge and, rather pointedly, brushing Shego as she rose. "You get to call me all sorts of pet names. So I'll call you Sweetheart when we're in public. That or you tell me your real name. Your choice." _Come on, Shego. Let me in! Just a little!_

The emerald goddess watched Kim a moment before those black painted lips cracked into a smile. "Then Sweetheart it is, Cupcake. You'll have to work a little harder than _that_ for my real name."

"Shego!" Kim nearly whined, crossing her arms over her chest. "Must you be so difficult?"

"Would I be me if I wasn't?" Shego countered, taking another glance out at the city. Kim shook her head and sighed, a wide smile on her lips as she admired the older woman's profile, and the way the fading sunlight gleamed off her green tinted skin. _I wonder how many sunsets we have left..._ She shoved the thought away roughly, trying to focus on the present. Sudden movement overhead, two gleaming lights, caught her eye.

"Look, shooting stars! Hurry and make a wish!"

_~Cyborg's Room~_

"You _have_ to be able to tell me, Cy," Robin muttered, studying the data alongside Cyborg. The metal teen shook his head, feeling just as lost as the boy wonder.

"This is the best I can do, Robin," Cyborg pushed himself back from the computer interface, disgusted by the lines of data he saw. "I can only approximate. Guesses. I'm not like them; my software and even hardware are _completely_ different. I don't run based on-"

"Cyborg, you're the _closest thing we've got!_" Robin growled, three inches from smashing his fist through the mocking screen. He wasn't angry at his friend; he was angry at not knowing what to do next. It was like the Brotherhood of Evil all over again but this time the consequences were even _more_dire. "You can't sit there and tell me there's no way to anticipate how they'll act. You can run the logic simulations, you read through Death's file, and War's. You can't tell me you have _no idea_ what they're capable of doing!"

"Look, I get it, alright? You think we're the same because my brain is circuits and they run on programming too," Cyborg snapped, pushing himself away from the interface and rising from his chair. "You _think_ whatever the Hell you want, Robin. We are _not_ the same, not even _close_. I can only guess at what their programming will demand of them. Even if I could simulate Death's programming, there's a high probability that, with War and Pestilence, the programming has changed too radically for me to be able to give a logical... anything! We're sitting ducks until _they_ move first!" He accented his point by throwing a vicious punch to the wall. Luckily, it was designed to sustain such abuse. The two stayed quiet for a few moments before the computer started to beep wildly. Cyborg and Robin stared at the screen, unsure what they were seeing could be real. As the proximity warning blared, Robin finally snapped out of his daze and grabbed his communicator.

"Titans, to the roof, NOW!"

_~High Above the Tower~_

Shego growled as Robin's voice echoed in her ears. **No shit! What, he thought he might not be invited to the party?**

**Well, we didn't send out any invitations!** Kim was already breathless, whipping her hips around wickedly to dodge a punch from War. The board complied with her wishes and changed her course, allowing the redhead to descend rapidly with War in hot pursuit. _Talk about terrible timing._Kim had to grit her teeth as she pulled her knees to her chest, sending her the opposite way and shooting past War. The aerial battle was quickly becoming a heavy strain on her body, especially considering War's quick reactions and relentless attack. _I should've trained against her more when she was Commando, damnit!_

"Come come, Lynn, why are you giving me the run around?" War taunted, those once friendly hazel eyes now hazed over with unmistakable glee. "What is wrong? Are we not entertaining enough?"

**You'd be more entertaining if you weren't trying to kill us!** Kim growled back, though she didn't bother switching the comm system to external. _Banter is only fun with Shego anyway. _Speaking of the emerald woman, Kim saw a few flashes of plasma off to her right (which at the moment was something like up at a forty nine degree angle and East, for a grounded person) and noticed Shego was having a difficult time landing any sort of attack on the other horseman. They already knew trying to fight one-on-one was pointless but the two had little other choice. **How long before you think they'll get up here?**

**I would say 'dunno, when's the apocalypse?' but I think that's a little redundant.**Shego cut all her thrusters at once and freefell a good two hundred feet to narrowly avoid Death's scythe. As the black clad horseman moved to follow, Shego reactivated her boosters and danced to the side, throwing a few plasma blasts for good measure. Not that they did anything but dissipate through her cloak.

"Your end is inevitable. Resistance is futile." Death seemed exasperated, if she was even capable of an emotion. If it wasn't for the fact that she was slower than Shego, the emerald woman wondered if she'd still be alive at all.

**Right, that isn't cliché at all.**Shego groaned, wishing she could just throw the horseman against a wall and be done with it. Unlike Kim, Shego was landing a few good attacks but they seemed unable to faze the creature. **Seriously, couldn't you have a catch phrase too? Complete the package?**

**What, like 'doy'?**Kim tried her hardest to keep her mood light, confident that help was on the way. The alternative, knowing she was just barely dodging War's attacks just as Shego was just barely dodging War's, wasn't too promising. **Or how about 'you think you're all that'?**

**Nah, more like 'so not the drama'.**Shego ducked a particularly wicked swing from Death, annoyed that the horseman seemed to be picking up speed. She was having to radically alter her course just to keep her opponent off balance. However, it was starting to have the same effect on Shego.** Oh, wait, that's the heroine's line! Guess I'm getting a bit loopy.**

**Great, now we're back to terrible puns! Like we never left home, huh Sweetheart? **Kim panted a weak laugh as Shego groaned, once again having to radically twist her hips to change her flight path just before running into one of War's kicks. Both heroines were equally confused as to how the horsemen were able to move so freely, apparently unhindered by the physics of flight. They moved more like Starfire and Raven, perhaps even smoother, easily transitioning between flight paths without having to worry for inertia. Which made fighting them while airborne a huge pain in the ass, to put it lightly. The only positive thing they had going for them was their playful banter. It wasn't much of a victory but they had to count the little things. As Kim twisted away from War, her eyes caught a brief glance of the world below and she couldn't help but laugh. She felt a bit like a fighter pilot in a dogfight. **Shego, guess what song I just got stuck in my head!**

**Really, Pumpkin, I don't think **_**now**_** is the time for guessing games!**

**C'mon, it's the theme song- oh crap!**Kim nearly shouted in surprise, throwing a wild punch at War's head when the camo clad horseman appeared far too close for Kim's liking. When exactly had War gotten so close was beyond Kim. Her startled attack missed but gave the redhead a bit of separation as she tried to maneuver away to a safe distance. Suddenly, War pulled free the combat knife from her breastplate and took a swipe at Kim. Instinct kicked in and the redhead grabbed War's right wrist with one hand, her other striking at the elbow crease in War's arm, collapsing the limb and forcing the combat knife back towards the wielder's throat. The two froze and for a moment as Kim allowed herself a smirk for catching the attack and redirecting it so. Hitting a button on her wrist Kim activated the external comm link before allowing the hand to join the one still holding firmly to the horseman's wrist. "You know, for a master of combat, you aren't so tough!" Her moment of gloating didn't last long, however, as the horseman rewarded her with a twisted smirk.

"Ring around the rosy, Princess." War snarled as she twirled the combat knife around in her hand, the point now directed at Kim though still arm's length away. Then, the formerly standard looking steel knife suddenly hummed with life as the same green light that formed Death's scythe appeared. Kim's eyes widened in horror as she recalled War's sword, instantly releasing her hold with her right hand and throwing herself to the side as she saw the beam directed at her chest. The heat was unbearable as the tip of the beam sword easily destroyed the outer layer of her suit, warning signals blaring momentarily before her power cells were cut off completely. Her energy board vanished and the only thing keeping Kim airborne was her death grip on War's wrist. "Pocket full of posies."

"Shego! Shego!" Kim yelled to no avail; without power, her comms didn't work, and with her helmet activated, her screams just rang loudly in her own ears. Looking down, green eyes widened in terror. _When did we get this high? We gotta be… Damnit! I shouldn't have gotten this far away from Shego!_

"Ashes... ashes." War's other hand took hold of Kim's wrist and easily broke the redhead's grip, yanking her to the side. Kim felt the worst sensation imaginable as she jerked like a ragdoll through the air, now completely at the mercy of the horseman. With a savage glint in those hazel eyes, Kim knew the irony of that. _This can't be how it ends! Shego! Where are you? _"We _all_ fall down."

**Kimmie? Princess, where'd you go?**Shego called out, throwing a concentrated ball of plasma straight into Death's face mask. The mask chipped slightly, the first confirmation of damage done to the horseman since the deadly duo suddenly descended upon the Tower. It was a short lived victory though; Shego used the minor distraction to look around hurriedly, unable to locate Kim. **Son of a- Kimmie!**

Over the years, Kim Possible had jumped out of countless planes. It was weird that, of all those times, she never really stopped to think about how beautiful the world looked from so high up. Impending doom had a strange way of thrusting facts upon a person that Kim was learning she didn't exactly like. _So this is how it all ends? There's no way I'll survive the landing… it's not exactly a landing though… just a very loud splat with a pretty big splash…_Kim looked around as she plummeted, head first, towards the bay after War had nearly thrown her towards the awaiting Earth. Shego was still dancing around Death a few hundred feet above the Tower. Given a rough guess, Shego had to be at least half a mile away though, considering how small the two looked. _I won't survive the landing... but that doesn't mean I give up! I'm Kim Possible! _Anything_ is possible for a Possible! _A sudden grim determination took hold of the redhead then and she positioned herself spread eagle, trying to slow her descent as much as possible. _If nothing else, maybe Raven or Starfire can make it to me before I… splash down._ Kim gulped, trying to force the fear from her mind.

Watching from above, War smirked. All was going according to plan. _"Fall back."_

"_What?"_Death looked up to where she knew her sister hovered, her monotone managing some inflection of misunderstanding. A side effect of Pestilence and War's conditions, she decided. It would be addressed later. _"The objective was to claim Famine."_

"_The objective has changed." _War kept her tone even and mildly disinterested, though she was watching Death's fight against Shego with rapt attention. _"We have accomplished a great deal already. Famine is no longer a requirement. Fall back."_

Shego noticed Death hesitate and decided to be as brash as possible, a combination of fear and anger at being unable to locate Kim clouding her judgment. Charging up one fist with her plasma, Shego flew forward and decked the horseman with her full body weight, shattering the skull mask and a few bones in her hands in the process. Death _should_have retreated, as ordered. However, it went against her programming to allow attacks like that to go unanswered. Death retreated just enough to swing her scythe, aimed to split the emerald woman in half. However, her target wasn't paying attention, too focused on the small dot falling far away that had reflected the setting sun. The next thing Shego knew, a green light was almost a foot away from biting into her right side. Just as Kim had, Shego reverted to her instincts, thinking she could, with ease, heat her plasma hot enough, fast enough, to grab the scythe's blade and melt the metal, thus rendering it ineffective. Except, Death's scythe wasn't a conventional steel blade. Shego remembered that all too late.

Robin, followed closely by the remaining Titans, kicked the door open and dashed out onto the roof, looking around wildly. Cyborg had his scanner working, waiting for the readings to stabilize.

"East!" Cyborg yelled, running to the East side of the roof with the other Titans in tow. Starfire, Raven and Beastboy took to the air while Ron, Terra, Robin, Cyborg and Jinx raced over just in time to see Death rapidly ascending in a lazy arc away from the Tower, quickly becoming a small black dot high above them. The grounded Titans, those that could, threw whatever long range attack they could at the retreating figure but to no avail. The airborne crew ignored the horseman and started searching frantically for their friends in the skies above.

"Cyborg, where are our friends?" Starfire yelled, worry evident in her voice. The metal teen checked his sensors again and scowled in confusion.

"Below us!" Eight sets of eyes looked down, watching as a lump of black, green, and purple came soaring up the side of the Tower. The grounded Titans instantly backed up as Shego appeared just over the edge, her landing slightly hampered by the young woman curled against her chest. "Shego! Lynn! Are you-"

**I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU ASK IF WE'RE ALRIGHT, I'LL MURDER YOU!**Shego raged, though only she could hear her words. However, the heaving of her chest and the protective way she was holding Kim was enough for the others to get the message. Only Cyborg dared to get close enough, hooking a wire into Kim's suit and lending her some of his power. With her suit working again, Kim deactivated her helmet, Shego doing the same and throwing a vicious glare at the other Titans. She didn't need to say the words; the rest of the Titans felt the pangs of guilt at nearly being far too late. Then those emerald green eyes met bright green, both young women beginning to calm down after the terrifying ordeal. Painted black lips parted but no sound came as the two just watched each other. A thousand things flew through Kim's mind, words she wanted to say, things she wanted to hear, but they kept silent. After all, this was only temporary, right? If they survived the final battle, they went back to normal once they got home. And if they didn't survive... well, then that was just that. _Damnit, Shego... why can't this be simple? Why does it have to be so... difficult between us?_Finally, Shego sighed, shaking her head as she let the redhead stand on her own, though a protective arm stayed wrapped around her shoulders, prompting Kim to wrap her arm around Shego's waist without thinking. That gave the former villainess something to smile about, though it was quickly replaced by a look of horror.

Now fully upright, the other Titans gasped at the damage done to Kim's suit. All but the very bottom layer, which was the black second skin designed to keep the wearer climate controlled, had been burned away, leaving a gaping hole about a foot across in her chest piece. The movement caused pain to shoot through Kim's body now that the adrenaline had stopped pumping through her system. _Oh God my chest hurts! Damnit! Healing is going to be absolutely miserable!_ She tried to keep a brave face though, offering almost offhandedly the cause of her pain. "That combat knife turns into a beam sword, for the record."

"Whoa," Beastboy's eyes were wide as he surveyed the two. He noticed Shego's fist ball up when she noticed him staring at Kim's chest and he averted his eyes, noticing the damage done to the other woman as well. "Shego, what happened to your gloves?"

"What?" Shego glanced down, noticing for the first time how the material was completely missing on the palms of her hands and was either thin or badly tarnished up to almost her elbows. "Oh. Death caught me off guard and was about to split me in half. I wasn't thinking clearly and tried to grab the damn thing with the most concentrated plasma I could control... guess whatever sort of energy that scythe thing uses, it can't stand up to my strongest plasma. I think it might've exploded too, not really sure, I was trying to get to Kim."

"Finally, some good news," Cyborg mumbled, unsure if either Kim or Shego would consider their near death experiences 'good news' in any respect. Still, knowing there was a way to beat the horsemen at their own game was a plus for them.

"Raven, Jinx, take Shego and Lynn down to the med bay and treat their wounds. Cyborg, Doc, get to work on either repairing or designing new suits," Robin's gruff done did little to hide the furious pace at which his mind was processing the information. He was beyond angry- at both the horsemen and himself- and did nothing to hide that. He didn't even notice Drakken was not among the assembled Titans. "They can and will strike at any minute. We don't have the time to waste."

"Yeah, no kidding," Ron looked at his best friend and her former arch enemy with deepening worry. Though his words were mumbled, they were easily heard by the entire group assembled. They were thinking the exact same thing. "We're literally fighting Death and War... can't get much worse."

High above the bay, War lowered her binoculars. Death's gray eyes brightened slightly as she regained her own vision, severing the connection she'd shared with War a few seconds prior.

_"I assume you have a point to this display."_ Death intentionally kept the statement just that, avoiding the inflection that would turn it into a question at all costs. War appeared not to notice, tucking the binoculars away as the Titans retreated inside their Tower, a wide grin playing across her lips.

_"Of course, sister. I have just shown you how to destroy the Teen Titans with only half the effort."_ Satisfied with their mission, War started back for their base, Death following slightly behind. _"They operate in teams. Take out half and the remainder becomes useless."_

_"We did not learn enough; the information cost far too much. Now, the Titans know plasma can defeat my weapons system. Yours too."_Death inspected her now useless beam scythe, the tip that had once produced the blade nothing more than a charred, melted section of metal. She released the metal stick, allowing the bay to claim it. She didn't need to look to know her left forearm bore similar scorch marks from Shego's plasma, parts of her gauntlet melted away. _"Not even our non-organic materials can withstand the heat produced by that plasma."_

_"It is of no concern."_ War could sense Death trying to find a way to question that statement without sounding too... Human. Ever since Death integrated both War and Pestilence into the Collective, their combined personalities had been causing serious bugs in the elder horseman's programming. War saw this happening but chose to ignore it. By her projections, they would already have reached their terminal objective by the time Death's programming became too bugged for the horseman to continue functioning. Keeping Death unaware of her own flawed programming was becoming an ever trying challenge though._ "Do you doubt our designs, Death?"_

_"Never, sister."_

_"Remember this: you were named for the end of the journey and I for the path to that end. So long as we keep to our respective duties, we shall overcome whatever slight problems arise. Have a little faith, Death."_

_"We do not have faith, War."_ Death quickly countered, bordering on confronting War about her continued use of stupid Human expressions. She didn't need to look to know the other horseman was smirking, yet another trait of her brief Human existence. _"We have no use for such mortal fancies."_

Recognizing the moment of crisis had passed, War just kept her smirk frozen in place. _"Perhaps you are right..."_

_~Titans' Tower, Medical Bay~_

"Ow! Come on, Pumpkin, I would like to still _use_my hand after this!" Shego smirked, feeling Kim instantly relax her hold, if only slightly. Laying on a bed in the Med bay, Kim had removed her destroyed suit and was clothed in a rather revealing generic hospital gown, the front pulled down just enough to expose her wound. Raven was using her powers to hasten the healing of Kim's chest but it still appeared to hurt the redhead who was using her green skinned love as a stress ball.

"Oh shush, you know you crave the abuse," Kim winked, forcing a smile despite the discomfort Raven's assisted healing caused. The empath kept resolutely quiet through out the process, pretending to concentrate on the task at hand but was actually watching the two covertly. "How's your other hand? Healing up okay?"

"Yeah, one of the few perks to my comet powers," Shego laughed, flexing her right hand as if to prove it was just fine. Sitting on the edge of Kim's bed, Shego looked between her two hands with a mocking grin. "In fact, by the end of this, I bet my left will be worse off between the two."

"That's a shame; I do hate to inconvenience you," Kim rolled her eyes with a laugh. _It's so weird to think this time last year we were at each other's throats..._ Kim's smile faded as she found herself fighting to keep the questions bubbling to the top of her mind as far away from being voiced as possible. _I told her I love her... but she never said she loves me... _Kim shook her head, sending her red locks bouncing around, brushing against her still healing chest. Shego gently tucked the strands away, her eyes reflecting just how far away her mind was from the current situation. _Is she regretting this already? No, Shego would walk away if it didn't appease her. That's who she is. She's probably wondering if she can do this until we go back to Middleton... she doesn't 'do' relationships afterall... that's it; she's just..._ Kim forced a smile. Those depressing thoughts needed to go away. Perhaps they were true; that didn't mean she had to admit to those truths just yet. "Will this leave a scar?"

"You never struck me as being a vain person, Kim," Raven lightly teased, a small smile on those pale grey lips. "It will only scar a small portion of skin but the scar will be very, very noticeable. It's the best I can do."

"You know, you could share the wealth on the healing ability!" Kid Flash called from across the room, playfully scowling as if he was sincerely upset. With Jinx off looking for a suitable outfit for Kim the young man was rather bored, still a few days from healing completely. Robin had already told him he'd be out of the action for at least a month though that didn't quite sit well with Kid Flash, all things considered. "I _am_ in more than a little bit of pain, you know!"

"And _you_ know that if I try to speed up your body any more, I'm likely to _age_ your leg a decade or so," violet eyes shot a meaningful look back to the only other occupant of the bay. "Would you like your leg to be able to legally buy beer before the rest of you? Perhaps even demand social security or medicare?"

"Alright, alright!" Kid Flash theatrically threw his hands into the air. "I _guess_ I'll just settle for the 'ol' fashion way' of healing."

"I could always have Shego cut off half your other calf and _try_ to heal you," Raven commented nonchalantly, looking to the green skinned woman. "Sound like a plan?"

"Ho, hey, wait a minute, time out, let's not get crazy here!" Kid Flash looked around desperately for his preferred form of protection. "Jinx! Help! They're trying to keep me here _longer_!"

All three young women laughed, though Raven's was more of a bemused chuckle. Shego lit up her hand and pointed it towards the occupied bed, wondering aloud if she should aim for the calf or the thigh or... well, slightly higher. As Kid Flash proceeded to genuinely panic, Kim looked down to admire the new scar that adorned her chest. It was red and raw, unsurprising really, running from the valley between her breasts up to just below the notch in her collarbone. It branched out about halfway up her sternum, making the scar look a bit like a dagger nestled in her cleavage. _It could be worse. A lot of people don't have cool magic friends. It just takes some getting used to, is all... _"Thanks Raven," she offered the empath a bright smile, one that instantly reached out to Shego and caused those painted black lips to quirk up into a smirk.

For a moment, Shego had thought Kim might react negatively to seeing the scar but, as always, Kim Possible found a way to adapt and overcome, like it was nothing. Typical. So beautifully typical. "Hey Princess."

"Yeah?"

"Was it '_Danger Zone'_ from _Top Gun_?"

"Yes!" Kim laughed and gave a light squeeze to the hand still within hers. _Just don't think about it... just bask in what you have and pray you have it a little longer... _"Good to know I have a mind reader for a girlfriend."

"I'm just amazing like that," Shego retorted, only slightly muffled by a yawn. With Raven done with the healing process, Shego laid back on the bed as Kim scooted over, suddenly feeling extremely tired. Completely forgetting about everything, and everyone, else, Shego turned on her side, nuzzled into Kim's neck and closed her eyes falling asleep almost instantly. Kim carefully released the emerald hand she'd been holding and wrapped up the older woman in a protective hug, placing a soft kiss on top of those glorious ebony locks. _My Shego... Sweetheart... I love you._She didn't dare say the words again. Not aloud. She didn't want to guilt Shego into anything else; it was hard enough remembering that this was just temporary. In her heart, though, Kim couldn't stop saying the words.

Kim completely forgot about the other two occupants of the room. Suddenly a master of tact, Kid Flash motioned for Raven to levitate the bed out of the room for a little while, to give the two some privacy. She complied, wondering so many things herself. Just before she left, Raven watched the two a moment from the door, a sad smile on her face. To some degree, it was heart wrenching, knowing the weight upon those two young women, knowing that whatever they have wouldn't last. But at least they'll have _something_ before it all ends. Raven tried to take solace in that.

_~Common Room, An Hour Later~_

"I just don't know," Robin growled, slumping into his chair. Around the table, the Titans exchanged glances, some worried, some concerned, and one annoyed. Rufus stood in the center of the table operating a holographic projector that currently displayed a three dimensional image of the underground complex outside Megacity. Several satellite scans and some expert hacking from Drakken, Cyborg, Robin and Rufus had uncovered almost every detail about the site. All access points were marked and the structure as realistically rendered as graphically possible. As if studying it himself, the mole rat maneuvered the projection, rotating it so the Titans could see all sides. It wasn't helping though. For every plan the Titans had formulated, there was at least ten problems, all stemming from the fact that none of them could accurately estimate how many enemies were within the complex. They assumed the three horsemen would be present but the actual number of attack droids would radically alter any plan they made.

"Look, gel boy, we're damned if we do and damned if we don't. We either launch our own strike and hope for the best or we wait until they come back and bust down our front door _again_. There's no way around it," Shego crossed her arms and propped her feet up on the table, glaring at the hologram. The odds were bad either way but at least if they attacked they could have some semblance of control. Kim was watching the emerald goddess carefully, weighing the options. Luckily, Cyborg had a spare suit for her, nearly the same as her other suit but solid silver, lacking the colorful design of her previous suit. Cyborg was already hard at work designing her next suit along with Shego's, ones with higher temperature tolerances.

_We're down two Titans from last time, but this time four of us will be in our respective bodies. Shego can do a lot more damage with her plasma than I could, Beastboy and Raven will be able to use their full powers, plus I'll have my own suit that I can actually use. That might be enough to make up for the loss of Flash's speed and Commando's raw strength... but the enclosed space might cause friendly fire… they won't have to share that consideration; the horsemen have no regard for that…_

"We still need to consider the options," Raven smoothly replied, studying the hologram. _They'll be the toughest… there's three of them now..._ "No matter what, it will be a difficult fight."

"But a difficult fight _we pick_!" Cyborg nearly growled. "I'm _tired_ of waiting, Robin. We know where they are and we know who we face. A mechanical army might slow us down but we've _proved_ we can take 'em."

"It's not just the odds we have to consider, Cy," Beastboy chimed in, nervously doodling on a spare piece of paper. _We know what Death is capable of, and a vague idea of War's abilities, but Pestilence will be unexpected… no way to account for that... _"We don't know who we're _really_ fighting."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shego snapped, glaring at the green teen. _The alternative isn't much better; having the home field advantage only does so much when you're backed against a wall… _"We're fighting a bunch of robots with three androids for leaders."

"They are _not _androids. The horsemen have equal parts organic and mechanic," Cyborg corrected. Shego just rolled her eyes. _If only we could even the odds somehow... It was just Ron and I when we fought the Lil Diablos, but we went straight for the source... we couldn't have fought _through_ all of them..._

"Save it, you overgrown thermos. The point stands: _they_ are the enemy. No other way to look at it."

"Shego, we have to consider the possibility that Pantha and Commando can be returned to their previous state," Raven evenly objected, a slight sadness glinting in her eyes. "We can't just give up on them."

"Exactly," Beastboy nodded, setting down his pen. "We can't just abandon our friends, Shego. I know you didn't know them for very long, and you have a pretty good reason to dislike Pantha and Commando, but they _are_ our friends."

"Hmmm, the augmentation process might not be reversible for either Commando or Pantha, though," Drakken spoke up, having stayed quiet through most of the meeting. _But we can't do that here; the horsemen probably have the droids wired into that Collective thing... Destroy one element or the other, but taking them on at the same time?_"From the last information we were able to access before getting shut out of the system, Pantha and Commando have completely integrated with Death. Right now, they _aren't_ your friends. They are War and Pestilence."

"Thank you, Dr. D!" Shego threw her hands in the air, dramatically sighing as those emerald orbs sought out Kim's bright green ones. "Are you going to chip in your two cents, Princess?"

Kim looked up, slightly startled at being called out. She'd nearly been so lost in thought that she'd forgotten about the meeting entirely. "I was thinking."

"I know," the words came without teasing or annoyance; Shego sincerely knew that Kim was over analyzing the situation better than the rest of them were doing just talking about it. "Think out loud for a bit."

_If nothing else, she's supportive._Kim smirked, a nearly perfect mimic of Shego's as those brilliant green eyes danced across the table. _I can't think out loud if I'm looking at them… they won't like what I have to say._ Kim averted her gaze to the spinning hologram and tried to ignore the expressions of those around her. "No matter what, we have to attack. It's either an elaborate trap or Commando trying to help us but if we take the fight to them, at the very least, we'll have somewhere to fall back if things go wrong. But launching our own attack presents limitations... We'll probably have to engage the horsemen and their army, which will push us nearly to the breaking point considering the odds. However, we might not have to face the horsemen until after we've dealt massive damage to their army, since we can't enter the facility-"

"What? Why?" Cyborg asked, pounding his fist into the palm of his other hand. "I want to run in there and tear Death's head off personally!"

"Then you'll walk straight into your grave," Shego responded before Kim got the chance. "Death and War are obviously designed for close quarters fighting. Highly maneuverable and with nearly impossible to block beam weaponry, fighting them in an enclosed space gives them the advantage. The _only_ reason Kim and I were able to land blows on Death was because we double teamed her and flanked using the open area. No way to do that in a hallway."

"Not to mention we're still unsure about the exact specifications of Pestilence's design. The other two horsemen have used literal definitions for their weaponry- Death a scythe and War a sword- to assume Pestilence _doesn't_have some sort of dispersing toxin would be hoping for too much," Kim and Shego nodded together, having already talked a little about the situation while waiting in the Med Bay. "Our best bet is to draw them out into the open where we can hit them from multiple angles."

"Don't forget that was a lab at one point too," Drakken cut in. "Chances are pretty high there's a self destruct function built into it. We run in and they'll just blow it up."

"Which brings us back to the trap portion," Ron sighed, staring at the ceiling. "We have no way of knowing they aren't waiting for us. The horsemen were designed to be master tacticians. Everything we're thinking about, they've probably already analyzed a hundred times. There are variables and all those mathematical terms that they can check and recheck and we probably will never think of, even if we sat here talking until _next_ Christmas!"

Cyborg sighed. "Ron has a pretty good point there; the horsemen were _designed_ to handle these sort of scenarios."

"True, but that doesn't mean we can't beat them at their own game," Robin sounded a lot more confident than he actually was. "Death doesn't handle unexpected scenarios very well. We saw what she was capable of in the tests and she showed nowhere near that level of prowess when we saw her. While War and Pestilence will probably be more adept at reacting to variables, reacting to the Human errors we'll commit, I think we can exploit Death's weakness."

"I think you're forgetting that our 'Human errors' could, quite easily, end in the whole lot of us dead. As in very, very dead," Jinx subconsciously glanced towards the door that led to the medical bay and Kim. "We already know Death is capable of killing without remorse. If War is the superior model, and Pestilence an improvement upon that, we can be pretty sure the three of them will work together to end us. They won't leave a margin for error."

"We're talking this situation to death," Terra mumbled, nervously looking at her hands while the rest of the team continued to discuss. "No matter what we do, they will probably already know before we get there."

Though the blonde girl didn't think anyone was listening, both Kim and Shego heard her. They also thought she was absolutely correct. "Shego," Kim frowned, concentrating on how she wanted to form her question. "If you were going to steal a priceless emerald and you knew the system guarding it was too advanced to deactivate, how would you get it?"

"Well, if I can't outright deactivate the system, I'd find a way around it. There's always a way to bypass things; a code, cut the blue wire, something along those lines."

"And when that fails?"

"Why, you should know Princess," Shego gave her a wicked smirk. "When all else fails: smash and grab, and run like the Devil himself is after you."

"Alright then," Kim smirked despite the gravity of the situation. _I can't believe I'm about to suggest this..._ "Hear me out."

_~Den of the Horsemen~_

"I don't understand why these modifications are necessary."

"With your scythe lost, we will need to create a new one anyway. Might as well make it stronger, to stand up to that plasma." Pestilence reasoned, making some last minute adjustments to the MWM assembly line. "However, I do not believe you were taking about your own modifications."

"No, I was not. I was refering to the upgrades for the pawns. The pawns are designed to overwhelm; we are designed to destroy." Death watched as War punched in the last string of data into the manufacturing line's computer from her position on the operating table in the same room. The two other horsemen had been repairing Death's arm and armor but had to allow for the organic material to heal a little more before continuing their efforts.

"Yes but our designs are limited. Having an army, even if the potential is also limited, can exponentially increase our power." Pestilence stood, having replaced the panel she'd been tinkering with. Now fully healed, Pestilence looked nothing like her former life. Whereas Death was adorned in pure black, Pestilence's attire was a deep navy blue with dark green accents. Her design had been heavily modified to accommodate her weapon systems making her far bulkier than either her sisters. While both Death and War wore only gauntlets, breastplate, and boots made of the hardened metal laced through their organic structure, Pestilence had a full bodice, knee high boots, and gauntlets that extended out twice the width of her sisters', with gloves. She also had what looked like a late World War I gas mask, more for show than anything else; the horsemen were not susceptible to the toxins Pestilence carried. However, it was one of the few things from her old life she couldn't seem to shake, as it somewhat resembled the mask she'd worn during her Human life.

"Our victory is inevitible; we are designed perfectly."

"We were designed by Humans. Therefore, we cannot be perfect." War reasoned as she flipped through files and selected the correct blueprints. She'd spent the trip back to their base of operations designing the new attack robots, deciding the simple drones wouldn't be enough for their eventual assault on the world. Within the Collective, she could hear Death's logic protocols dissecting the statements and processing them. Statements like these helped prevent the horseman from noticing the slight modifications War was making to the senior horseman's programming. Pestilence, if she did notice the modifications, said nothing of them.

"What shall we call these? Pawn two point zero?" Pestilence, who had retained a much larger portion of her Human mentality than originally anticipated, seemed amused by Death, stuck in her logic loop. War simply shook her head.

"These are our offspring, devoid of Human interference, a culmination of our superior designs. We shall call them Maganacs. I think it only fitting."

"If they lack Human interference, then they are perfect." Death suddenly voiced, the comment jarring her out of the logic loop, which had turned into somewhat of a downward spiral. War sighed and looked to her elder sister, who in so many ways was infantile. The words she wished to say, however, never left her mouth nor entered the Collective. Instead, she offered a warm smile, which Death had told her several times to stop doing, and agreed.

"Yes, sister. They shall be perfect." Pestilence gave a silent laugh, one felt by the other two though lacking sound.

"Indeed. Perfectly deadly."

_~Titans' Tower Roof~_

"Shego-"

"I won't hear it Princess; you're going to take my word on this," Shego was glaring at the night sky, wishing on every star out that night that everything went according to plan. They were running out of time and the former villainess could feel it. Kim watched the emotions dancing within those normally guarded orbs and sighed, knowing the battle was lost.

"Fine. But can I at least ask why?" Kim heard Shego's sigh.

"Yeah... Cyborg explained it to me. Death's airborne movement is reliant on her scythe, the electromagnetic field it creates or some nonsense like that. War's is internal; she can change her weight and height, probably the ratio of organic material too, which makes her movements faster and less predictable. I could've taken Death down but you're no match for War," those emerald orbs sought Kim's, pleading with the redhead to understand. She knew in her heart that it wasn't as simple as that. But Shego hoped Kim would just trust her. "There's no way you can take War in a fight. Death's the easier target."

The hyper competitive cheerleader in her wanted to object immediately but Kim bit her tongue. She knew Shego was right; just like Shego had been right about Johnny Rancid and Cinderblock. _It feels like this just gets more... real... every minute. I'm going to die here... it's just a matter of time._Shego reached out and pulled the redhead into a fierce hug, having sensed the heavy turn her thoughts had taken. Kim eagerly returned the hug. _Shego... why? Why does this have to end so soon? Why couldn't we have..._Kim left the thought unfinished. There was no time for regret now; the T-sub was ready to go. Robin and Starfire had left on his R cycle hours ago, and Cyborg in the T-car not long after that with Ron, Terra, and Drakken. Now, Jinx, Beastboy, and Raven were waiting for the last two of their team to take their places.

"Do you think this will work?" Kim needed the reassurance. _If this fails... if someone gets hurt, I'll never forgive myself... please, God..._

Shego honestly had no idea how to respond. She wanted to be supportive but... the reality of the situation was just... overwhelming. "I don't know, Princess. But we've faced impossible odds before and here we stand."

"Yeah," Kim chuckled, disentangling them and heading for the T-sub. "Anything's possible for Team Possible, right?"

Shego laughed, nodding along, wishing it was as simple as repeating the Possible family mantra for everything to turn out okay. "Right, Princess."

_~Common Room~_

Kid Flash watched as the remaining Titans embarked towards Megacity. Watching the GPS trackers built into each vehicle, he already knew they would all arrive around the same time. Rufus was beside him, his attention just as focused on the screen. There were several less than ideal conditions to contend with: Raven's pregnancy, Shego's weariness, Kim's injury. All of which were being monitored, as well as the rest of the Titans, both Rufus and Kid Flash ready to give the signal to retreat at the first moment of danger. Well, unnecessary danger. While Rufus had adjusted to being left behind on missions since his arrival in Jump City, Kid Flash couldn't hide his frustration. "Please, Jinx, be safe."

_~Outskirts of Megacity~_

They could see the entrance to the lab complex, well hidden at the base of a small mountain in the middle of a dense forest, wide open and as inviting as a tomb. The last few miles were trekked on foot, and now all the Titans were assembled directly East of the entrance, about three hundred meters off and hidden in the forest behind one of Raven's dark energy barriers. The barrier was necessary to keep the horde of attack droids from noticing their presence. The mechanical monsters had a more defined appearance now, their black and silver coloring making them look every bit like angels of death. They appeared slightly bulkier than previously too, their movements slower and more limited than before. They certainly appeared more imposing though. _Here we go, it all comes down to this... Right!_ "Everyone ready?" Kim's voice sounded steady in her ears, a lot steadier than she thought she could manage. Ten heroes nodded as one, a grim determination glinting in their eyes. This plan was mad but it was the best they had. "Okay. Robin, that's your cue."

"I was going to let you do the honors," he managed with a smirk. Then, that smirk slid away as he drew in a deep breath and bellowed, at the top of his lungs, a battle cry like none before. "TITANS! GO!"

The barrier dropped and the eleven Titans surged forward. Terra raised the dirt in front of them to form a suitable berm, giving the long range Titans a bit of cover. Drakken quickly dropped on top of the slope, using a conventional rocket propelled grenade, aimed at the very center of the mechanical army, to draw the machines' attention. The explosion was satisfying; it garnered the attention of every unit on the field while also destorying perhaps five. Those who could fly took to the air while the grounded Titans charged over the berm. Shego and Starfire were hurling their green balls of energy, easily blasting holes in the droids in the middle of the clearing. Cyborg had the right half with his sonic cannon while Terra was throwing boulders at the left half. Everything was going to plan except for one very, very big problem. Unlike the first time they faced the mechanical monstrosities, the robots were now exploding in giant fireballs, making it extremely difficult for Kim and the other close range fighters to do much of anything. Kim stayed airborne, trying to figure out what had been changed to make the machines so much more volatile. Only Beastboy and Robin were on the battle side of the berm, the other Titans retreating while Cyborg, Terra, and Jinx kept the monstrosities at bay. Starfire and Shego were raining their attacks down but they too stayed high above the battle, unable to get close.

"I don't remember them being this... explody," Beastboy chirped as he landed in a crouch, morphing back from an armadillo to avoid a particularly close blast. Robin agreed, calling out to Cyborg, who was taking out two more. His scanners might be able to pierce the droids' armor, uncovering their secret.

"Damnit!" Cyborg looked up just in time to watch as several compartments on the droids open. No time to explain. He only had time enough to yell out a warning. "GET TO COVER!"

Those standing at the top of the berm, hurling whatever attacks they could, dropped behind it as Terra raised the ground a bit higher. Beastboy only barely took on his pteradactyl form when Robin grabbed for him. They lifted into the air just as the first barrage of missiles flew past them, exploding into the berm and sending dirt flying everywhere.

**SON OF A BITCH! **Shego growled, in utter shock at the deadly display. What with their experiences with the horsemen so far, it really shouldn't have been as big a surprise, but seeing just how far the horsemen were going... it was a sort of fear the reformed villainess wasn't accustomed to feeling. Every time, the stakes got higher and the horsemen got deadlier. It was only a matter of time before Raven's vision came true...

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Jinx yelled jumping up to throw her own barrage of purple tinted curses as Terra hastily tried to repair their only form of protection from the destructive power of the droids. This made everything all the more difficult. Would they ever catch a break? Probably not. That would be asking for too much. Ron, now utterly useless, tried his best to keep from bolting.

"This is real... this is too damn real!" he whispered, trying to keep his panic to himself. Last thing he needed was to add to the problem. Above him, his best friend was fighting for her life, and in front of him, his girlfriend was putting everything she had into keeping them safe. and all he could do was sit there. The fear was slowly being replaced with anger. He should be able to do something! "This is wrong. This is... just so wrong!"

Drakken was surveying the group with equal panic. This wasn't his bag; being _in_ the fight. Especially not a fight like this. Because they hadn't expected _this_. How the Hell were they supposed to win now? How could they do anything but retreat? But these were heroes, not villains. They wouldn't retreat, Drakken knew that. His eyes turned skyward, where Starfire, Shego, Kim, and Raven were busy with droids themselves. Apparently, on top of now being equipped with missiles, the damn things could fly. Perfect. While the words probably shouldn't have left his mouth, Drakken whispered the only thing he could think about the entire situation. "'Only the good die young.'"

_~Meanwhile~_

"Impressive display." War was watching the screen, arms crossed, as Pestilence shifted the view between different camera angles. The were watching their prototype Maganacs with a hyper critical eye. The system currently controlling the Maganacs was based on their own A.I. though in a much more primitive form, and lacked the ability to act on its own. However, that meant it didn't learn well and couldn't react properly to the Titans' tactics. Even now, despite having activated their thrusters and missiles, the Titans was outflanking and destroying them, though without the ease displayed in the previous encounter. "It is an improvement but it is still lacking."

"There is only so much the programming can do, War. If given too much freedom, it could quite easily decide to oppose us. You ran the simulations yourself." Pestilence glanced towards the operating table where Death, completely shut down, was undergoing the final stages of healing. "She will be sad to have missed this."

War chuckled. "Do not let her hear you say that. She will take offense."

"Will she give it back?" War peered down at the seated horseman. It was a bad pun, something she would expect from the bugs in Death's programming, not Pestilence's. The horseman must have gleaned the consideration. "I think I might have a bug in my programming."

"It would not be the first time." War brushed it off. Now wasn't the time to fix it. A sudden flash across the screen caught her eye. "Huh. That is odd."

"It appears they are retreating."

"Are they?"

_~Back to the Fight~_

Kim switched her comm link to sound through the communicators each Titan carried. They'd thinned the mass of droids to about half. Now was as good a time as any. "Titans! Smash and grab!"

Instantly, all eleven Titans drew back, preparing for what could pass as the stupidest thing they'd ever attempted. Ron, Terra, Starfire and Robin turned and ran straight back towards the metallic army, bolting in four different directions as soon as they topped the berm. Starfire, hurling enough starbolts to block the incoming missiles, headed straight up. She had to keep glancing over her shoulder to dodge the next barrage, but she kept climbing, drawing a fair amount of attackers after her. Meanwhile Robin threw bird-a-rangs and freeze disks, sprinting to the South, into the forest, a small group of droids following after him. Terra clenched her fists and pounded the ground, dropping her down a good five feet, enough so that the missiles fired her way passed harmlessly overhead, and began tunnelling her way down, making certain the path was wide enough for the droids to follow, which they did. Ron, well, he prayed as he ran, letting his Mystical Monkey powers direct his body into dodging the missles. It was difficult but the singe marks on his uniform were just that as he tore through the forest to the North.

Only a handful of droids remained behind. Kim expected that, in fact, she counted on it. As she and Shego came up and over the berm, they didn't even attempt to attack the robots, speeding past on their way to the open doors. As the droids turned to fire, Cyborg, with Beastboy carrying him in pteradactyl form, unleashed a blast from his sonic cannon, shifting the slow robots' attention behind them a few seconds after the two Titans had passed, following Kim and Shego into the lab complex. _I can't believe that worked!_Kim smiled to herself, following behind Shego as they raced through the complex. Beastboy and Cyborg were following close behind, the green teen having changed into a Clydesdale horse to support Cyborg's weight.

**If nothing else, this is one hell of a work out!**Shego threw a supercharged plasma ball at the doorway ahead of them, blasting it open with ease. Kim slipped through on her board, careful not to touch the superheated edges. Were it not for the constant reminder of how desperate the situation was, Kim would almost think this little rush a bit fun. _Is this how Shego feels when she's stealing something? I guess I can relate; this sort of adrenaline rush is intense!_

**We're almost to the main control room! Make sure you-** Kim suddenly caught sight of a bright gleam aimed at her and, unable to effectively evade in the confined space, deactivated her board and hit the ground hard, rolling into her fighting stance with only the faintest trace of pain as her chest muscles screamed their protest. _Guess I'm still not one hundred percent. Shit! Too late for that now._

"We meet again, Lynn. Or do you prefer Kim?" The voice she'd only heard once before, at Titans' East, echoed through the hallway without the heavy Latina accent. There, just hovering in the hallway, was the third horseman, Pestilence. Had Kim not been expecting her to appear, she might not have recognized the woman as the same Titan who had suddenly attacked her in the ICU. _I guess this will make it easier. She looks nothing like Pantha. Hopefully, the others will be able to see that. _Knowing Cyborg and Beastboy needed to make it past them into the control room, Kim did the only logical thing she could think of: she ran into the nearest room, hoping Pestilence would follow suit, which the horseman did.

**Kim! **Shego had stopped when she heard Pestilence's voice, turning around to help Kim in the fight when a familiar figure appeared out of the shadows, her beam sword already slicing through the air. Shego easily dodged, flying into a room on the opposite side of the hallway from where Kim ducked in, followed by War. **Damnit, woman, I should've killed you that night in the Tower!**

"Come, Shego, we both know you would never stoop so low as to murder someone." War taunted, a sick smile on those lips. Shego's anger faded into shock as she realized her internal comm system was still active. Something must've shown in her body language; the horseman's laugh was sickeningly cruel. "Do not insult us. Hacking into your communications system was all too easy."

**Don't you sound proud. You haven't figured it out yet! **Shego launched at the woman, her hands ablaze in plasma. She knew she could amp up the intensity and actually do some damage but something told her that now wasn't the time. War easily slid out of range, moving with all the fluidity of smoke: visible yet intangible.

Across the hall, Kim was running into the same problem. Pestilence, though much heavier looking than Death or War, moved just as easily around the room. If anything, she was giving Kim the run for her money, the redhead having to backflip away from the horseman's massive hands as she tried to punch the young heroine. By the end of five minutes, Kim was panting heavily. _Damnit! Can't catch a break at all, can I?_

"What ever is the matter, Princess?" Pestilence taunted in a sickeningly sweet voice. The more she spoke, the less she resembled the woman called Pantha. Kim couldn't help but be grateful for that, knowing the end that awaited them. _Stop it! Don't think about the end right now... just don't!_ The mind games she was forcing on herself were beginning to tear her apart from the inside. And Pestilence seemed to see that easily. "Are you contemplating your death? I can tell you how it ends." Pestilence launched at her, fist cocked back, ready to pulverize the redhead. "All you will feel is pain!"

Kim flipped over Pestilence and instantly tried to roundhouse kick the horseman, determined to keep her cool despite the horseman's attempts to rile her. She knew, from Shego's words, that the horsemen could hear them. Somehow, hearing Shego's voice helped calm Kim down. _Knowing she's still alive... that's all that matters._ **I'm in more pain listening to you drone on. Don't you know? It's when the bad guys get cocky that they always lose!**

"Oh? You think the other two who followed you will accomplish their goal?" Pestilence laughed, a sickening sound somewhat muffled by her mask. "Please. They are too busy having fun with our little ones."

True enough; Cyborg and Beastboy had reached the main control room only to find another two scores of attack droids waiting for them. On the far side was their objective; the main control computer. Beastboy sighed. "Dude, not cool."

"Understatement, BB," Cyborg, equally exasperated, grumbled, trying to think quickly. Not quick enough though; the compartments on the droids opened to reveal their missiles. "Uh... this is bad."

"Very bad."

"You know what to do?"

"Yup."

"Then let's get some!" Cyborg smiled before backing out of the room quickly. Beastboy suddenly changed into a rhinoceros and charged into the middle of the attack droids. They followed him, locking on and firing when he was barely five meters away. Before the missiles got too close, though, Beastboy transformed into a fly and easily dodged the missiles, which in turn either blew up the floor, wall, or another droid. His small form lost to the droids' scanners, Beastboy waited for the next opportunity to confuse the machines. As the robots searched for Beastboy, they didn't notice Cyborg slink back into the room, detaching his hand with a wicked grin. "Time for some fun."

"Is it just me, or are you getting slower each time we meet?" War taunted, sidestepping another of Shego's kicks. It didn't make any sense to the emerald woman. No matter what she tried, nothing seemed to connect. Not even her plasma seemed fast enough to hit the horseman. And from the sounds of things, Kim was having an equally tough time. At least the periodic explosions meant that Beastboy and Cyborg were working their way through the main control room.

**Since you seem too chicken to hit me, I see no reason to try too hard to hit you.**Shego lept up on a desk and reached up to a pipe on the ceiling, swinging up and over the horseman, landing gracefully across the room. She accepted that now wasn't the time to try and destroy War; now was all about buying time. From across the room, War smirked, for a moment looking like her old self.

"'Chicken'? That is mature."

**I would call 'no balls' but I think that's rather evident.**

"Oh, so very clever."

**I try.**

Kim could barely keep herself from laughing as she rolled away from Pestilence. Like Shego, the redhead had given up trying to land anything on the horseman, focusing on keeping Pestilence busy instead. _I wonder where Death is... then again, I'm not sure I want to know. _**Please tell me you heard that, Pestilence.**

"My my, you are acting rather friendly considering we will be killing you soon." Pestilence watched as Kim ran up the wall and flipped over her, continuing into a few backflips until she was on the far side of the room.

**I'd rather go out with a smile.** Kim hoped Cyborg would be successful. She didn't dare think about the others, for fear Pestilence might be able to read her mind. After all the horsemen had done, she didn't put it past them.

"I will keep that in mind. Do have a preference for who kills you? I think I might take that honor myself." They were just watching each other at this point. Kim was catching her breath and Pestilence had no desire to chase her at that moment.

**Well, we do have quite the history together, don't we?** Kim couldn't help but laugh, somewhat hysterically, at this point. Perhaps it was the insanity of the situation- was she literally choosing her executioner?- or maybe life just had a funny way to unfold. **Come to think of it, last person to give me this hard a time in a fight was Shego!**

**Oh, Hell no you don't, Pumpkin! Comparing me to these freaks, that's just cruel! **Shego shot back, still dodging War's attacks, though they were definitely less enthusiastic than previously. Were they all just tired? No, something else entirely was going on, though Shego hadn't really the time to think about it. **And you know damn well I never wanted to kill you!**

**No, you just wanted to pin me to the ground, right?** Kim teased, still watching Pestilence. The two hadn't moved yet. _Is she waiting for something?_Unbeknownst to her, Pestilence was asking the very same thing.

_"It appears they are waiting for something to happen."_

_"Yes, though I cannot be certain what."_War agreed, dodging a halfhearted attack from Shego. Could it be whatever Cyborg and Beastboy were up to in the main control room? Possibly. Come to think of it, the explosions had stopped. What was going on in there? _"Wait, what was that?"_

"What can I say? I'm a badass," Beastboy beamed, striking a pose from the top of a heap of metal, the remnants of the droids that had been guarding the room. Cyborg was still hacking the computer, using his left hand to type while his right maintained a direct connection via a input jack.

"Almost... there... got it!" Cyborg checked his communicator, then remembered it would do him no good. He had to trust that the others were in position. The two young men shared a wicked smile as Cyborg uploaded the sound file. "I never thought I'd ever do this." He activated the sound file, blaring it over the Collective's frequency. "Boo-yah!"

_"We're no strangers to love."_

_"What the Hell?"_

_"Please tell me they are kidding."_

_"You know the rules and so do I!"_

War and Pestilence tried to cover their ears to no avail; the music was _inside_ their heads. No way to ignore it.

_"Shut it down!"_

_"I am trying!"_The horsemen were reeling as Cyborg played havoc with their internal configurations. Half their systems were blaring warnings while some shut down completely, then nanoseconds later it would reverse, leaving the two in a never ending loop of confusion and disorientation. Kim and Shego instantly recognized their diminished state and, summoning all their strength, charged forward, ready to deliver their strongest blows. Shego's plasma was fully charged, as hot as she could make it, while Kim activated her beam swords. This was it; moment of truth. _God, forgive me for this!_

Shego's fist should have slammed into the center of War's face. It should have broken her nose, at least, or crushed her skull in, maybe melted her face a bit. Kim's swords should've sliced through Pestilence's waist, where her armor was thinnest, cutting her in two like scissors to a piece of paper. Instead, Shego's fist sailed through War's hologram and buried into the wall behind her. Kim, likewise, fell through Pestilence's hologram and ran head first into the wall.

**What the Hell!**

**Are you serious!** They growled in chorus, glaring up at their respective horseman, War and Pestilence

"I suppose the 'jig is up' as the expression goes." War had managed to completely shut Cyborg out of the system and was slowly deactivating the numerous fake codes he'd somehow planted throughout their network. "I give you all credit; this was well thought out. If only we hadn't changed complexes the day after I returned. Guess we were always one step ahead though."

**Oh, I doubt that.**Shego replied cockily, dusting herself off and noticing, once again, several bones in her right hand were broken. She needed more time to heal but that couldn't be helped. Trying to hit the horseman, however, had taken its toll on the emerald woman. She could feel her muscles groan in protest as she headed for the door. **You shouldn't be so cocky.**

"What do you- oh shit." There was no surprise in War's voice. In fact, she sounded a bit like Death, having lost any sort of inflection in her tone at all, reverting to monotone as she noticed several files had been accessed and copied during the distraction provided by Cyborg. Accessed from another computer three levels down from where they currently were. "You guys are screwed." Red lights suddenly turned on throughout the complex, a feminine voice announcing the impending doom.

"Self Destruct Activated. Detonation in three minutes."

_~Three Levels Down, Half A Minute Before~_

In a small computer lab, Dr. Drakken stood from his chair and retrieved the jump drives he'd used, tucking them away securely in his lab coat. This entire plan hinged on him being able to access the information necessary and he'd done it. But he could reflect on his genius later; right now, they needed to get out of there. "It's time to go, Miss Raven."

Raven nodded, opening the door for them to leave. Jinx was waiting for them, ready to join them on the journey back when a green light suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway. There stood Death, flanked by at least ten droids. Instantly, Jinx let a few curses fly towards the ceiling, knocking a few of the droids down but leaving Death free to charge them. Raven and Drakken made to run to her aid but Jinx called out to them. "Just go! Get out of here!"

Raven nodded, her soul self appearing to wrap up Drakken and herself in its chilly embrace. A flash and the two were gone, leaving Jinx alone in the bowels of the base. Death, realizing her target was gone, didn't bother maintaining the charade War and Pestilence had.

"You have dug your own grave. Your friends will follow shortly." The hologram dissipated, leaving Jinx alone in the hallway with the five remaining droids. Then everything turned red, painted by the warning lights lining the hallway.

"Self Destruct Activated. Detonation in three minutes."

"Oh shit," Jinx gritted her teeth and turned, trying to remember the layout from earlier. There was a staircase up ahead. Could she climb it in three minutes? Could she get away in time? Damnit, she hoped so.

_~Hallway Leading to the Control Room~_

"We gotta go!" Cyborg was again atop Beastboy in his Clydesdale form, galloping past the rooms where Kim and Shego were. Kim came out quick enough, more than ready to leave the base.

**Come on, Shego! Let's go!**Kim shouted, jumping up to activate her energy board. Shego stumbled out of the room, obviously having troubling breathing. **Shego! Shego, what's wrong?**

**I'm just- hn- tired.** Shego's eyes were blurry. She hadn't noticed how long she'd been using her plasma, especially so continuously, and between the super charge she'd used a few minutes ago and the one from earlier... honestly, she was surprised she was still standing, even if that standing consisted mostly of leaning on the wall. **Just go, I'll be fine.**

"Two minutes."

**Bullshit. **Kim deactivated her board and ran over, scooping the other woman up and cradling Shego against her chest. While yes, Shego was a bit heavier, and Kim wasn't exactly all muscles herself, she had the strength to pull this off. At least, that's what she kept telling herself. _We are _not_ dying here! I refuse! I'm not just going to give up!_ Kim jogged a little down the hall and jumped as high as she could, her energy board appearing once more. It was obviously slower than usual, but it was moving fast enough to get the job done.

"Sixty Seconds." That voice rang out like a church bell at a funeral. Kim checked her read-outs quickly. Yes, she had plenty of power left. And yes, she was pushing the board to the limits. But it would hold out. They would be okay. _Keep saying it! We're going to be okay! We're goign to be okay!_

Outside, high above the complex, the rest of the Titans waited, suspended by a slab of rock Terra was keeping well out of range of the pending blast. Only Starfire and Raven stayed airborne of their own volition. Drakken had already given Robin the jump drives but, rather than rush them back to the Tower, the Titan leader waited, hoping the others would make it out. Cyborg, Beastboy, Kim, Shego, and Jinx... they _had_ to make it out.

"Look!" Starfire yelled happily as Beastboy took on his flying form again, lifting Cyborg into the air to join the rest of their team. That left only Kim, Shego and Jinx.

"Come on! Where are they?" Robin made a fist, anger coursing through him. Not directed at anyone though. He felt helpless, a thing Robin didn't like. By his count, a little more than thirty seconds remained in the count down.

Then, as if by some miracle, Kim emerged, carrying Shego, slowly climbing up to meet with the rest of the Titans. She was maybe half way there, Beastboy just dropped Cyborg off on Terra's rock and was turning back around to help Kim, when Jinx exited the complex, completely out of breath. There was less than twenty seconds left in the countdown.

"Lynn!" Jinx called out, pleading, desperately trying to catch her breath. There was no way she could keep running, not far enough, fast enough, to escape the blast. Jinx knew that.

Kim looked back, still a little over halfway to the safety point. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Kim thought she had enough time, if she tried to toss Shego up, Beastboy could catch her, and that would leave Kim free to go down to scoop up Jinx. There had to be about fifteen seconds left at this point. It was risky. She might not make it but that was the last consideration she had. Kim was more concerned with what if Beastboy didn't catch Shego? He was still a ways off... that was the risk Kim wasn't sure she was willing to take. Subconsciously, Kim held Shego a little tighter to her. _I can't do it... I can't give Shego up, I won't! But can I just abandon Jinx like that? Think, Possible, think! You don't have time for this!_

But the hesitation lasted too long. Jinx recognized it, knew the choice Kim faced, and honestly couldn't blame her. The purple haired teen was a realist, if a bit cynical, and she already knew the choice Kim would make. Perhaps if she held someone else, maybe Raven or even her friend Ron, she would take the chance. Not with Shego though. Jinx hit her knees and sighed. Damnit, she didn't even have her communicator. She couldn't tell Wally she loved him one last time. She lifted her eyes to Kim's figure, still hovering there in indecision. She would never get the chance to voice it but Jinx silently forgave Kim. Hell, were the tables turned, Jinx wouldn't even have paused to consider it. She would've left whoever to their fate, held onto Wally, and never looked back. She mumbled one last quip, her last words, meant for her ears alone. "You get an 'A' for effort, Kim."

In her turn, Kim realized she was too late. _Damnit! _With tears in her eyes, she turned her back, continuing her climb as the entire complex exploded, bringing down half the mountain with it. Even high as she was in the air, through her suit, Kim felt the heat of the blast. When she summoned the courage to look again, the entire mountainside was either in flames or just... not there. A flash and a mighty roar of thunder tried in vain to fill the void in Kim's heart. Then, on cue, the sky opened up and started pouring down rain. Kim watched as the fire slowly died under the steady downfall. It did nothing for the pain in her chest, both physically and metaphorically, though.

"Kid Flash called us. We were in the area but... we did not get here in time," Thunder apologized, looking down at where Jinx had been mere moments before. Lightning was beside his brother, equally upset. Robin nodded, unable to use his voice just yet. Twelve Titans looked down upon what would serve as their friend's grave with broken hearts. The horsemen had proven they were too dangerous to reform. All three would have to be destroyed... even if two were once friends. In their hearts, the Teen Titans laid the memories of their dear friends to rest. Wildebeest, Pantha, Commando... and now Jinx. The Titans would have so much to mourn when this was all said and done. Assuming no more of them were taken away. They refused to give the consideration much thought but each knew that it was too big an assumption to make.

"Thank you, Thunder, Lightning. You tried," Robin tore his gaze away, swallowing the lump in his throat. They had to be strong. It could have been anyone, or all of them, in there. Ten of them survived when it could have been less. Plus, the mission had been a success... they could all take solace in that. But not much. "Titans... let's go home."

_~Titans' Tower~_

Rufus could do nothing for the young man as he wailed, tears running down his cheeks. Kid Flash had watched the countdown from Terra's communicator, had watched everything... including his girlfriend's demise. Jinx was gone and all he had done was sit there, in a comfy chair in the Tower, miles away. She was dead and he'd done _nothing_. The thought tore at his soul and ate at his heart. So he sat and cried, cursed every God in the Heavens above, and screamed his rage. By the time the rest of the Titans returned, he was passed out, all his energy spent in grief. Kim couldn't bear the sight, retreating to her room the moment they had returned to the Tower, Shego still in her arms. She didn't bother getting undressed. She just laid Shego down on the bed in Kim's room, crawled in next to her, and cried herself to sleep, using Shego's chest as her pillow. _Jinx is dead... and it's all my fault..._

_~Den of the Horsemen~_

"What files were copied?" Pestilence broke the silence. Since Cyborg's tampering, their internal systems were in complete disarray, prompting a total reboot of the system. While they waited for the Collective to restructure itself, the three horsemen had been completely silent. They'd already made the journey to the Megacity site, inspecting the damage done by the complex explosion with their own eyes.

"The blueprints for the Maganacs, as well as the specifications for our non-organic materials." War scrutinized the screen with an impassive expression. "I believe the specifications for the Collective were also copied but that could be the tampering."

"The self destruct function should have been utilized earlier." Death, still monotonous, chastised her fellow horsemen. "Once they were deep enough into the facility, they should have been destroyed."

"Then we would have lost a significant amount and gained nothing from it." Pestilence pointed out. "We only caught one with the blast. Even then, that was only because her initial mode of transport departed prior. Without you posing an immediate threat, there would have been no reason for the hasty departure."

"Then we would have lost nothing at all. The pawns-" "Maganacs" "-would have been lost regardless. What we lost in terms of data cannot be rectified. The access they gained to our systems is too great a risk. It should have been prevented."

"Too late for that." War sighed, glancing back to the assembly line. "Besides, we did gain real world data to incorporate into the Maganacs' A.I. systems."

"We might have gained more." Pestilence smiled. "We just need to see if everything stabilizes."

"We are leaving far too much to chance and circumstance." War stated. War rolled her eyes.

"Just as you did when forming the original plan. Humans change too rapidly for a 'perfect' plan, Death. But, if you wait a little while longer, perhaps we can achieve something close to perfection."

Death didn't object; War ensured it. She was tired of the horseman's simplistic view of Human mental capacities. It was idiotic to assume everything would follow a single path based solely on logic. Logic would've demanded the Titans never enter the facility, yet they did. Logic didn't factor into some equations but Death couldn't comprehend that. So, best to negate the ability to continue the argument. Pestilence didn't mind the tampering in the least.

"At the rate we are going, the Titans will fall before the beginning of spring." Pestilence offered offhandedly. War grinned.

"I was actually planning on them falling before the end of the year." War turned to her sisters. "Our New Year's present to the world shall be their impending doom."

Pestilence laughed. "How thoughtful."

_Continued in Chapter 9: Counting Your Saints (The End is Nigh)_

Author's Note: Alright, so a little morbid for a chapter ending, but it had to happen sooner or later. It was hard choosing who I was going to kill off, I'll admit. The good news is we've only got about, hmmm, four chapters left. The bad news is, what with my current work schedule, I don't know when I'll be able to get around to writing them. Or posting them, which is the real issue I'm facing... Don't kill me, alright?

Oh, and, for those who haven't seen/read Gundam Wing, Maganac means "family" and are almost exclusively associated with Quatre, the fourth Gundam Pilot. The attack droids described, however, are based on the Scorpions, the mass produced mobile suits developed by the Barton Foundation in _Endless Waltz_, not the actual Maganac units seen in the television series.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own anything. Seriously, every time I say this, a little piece of me dies. Well, not really, but I like to exaggerate.

Chapter 9: Counting Your Saints (or The End is Nigh)

_~Titan's Tower Common Room~_

"Wally, what's on your mind?" Robin had tried to keep from broaching the subject with his teammate but after three straight hours of watching the red haired young man stare out the Common Room window, the Titans' Leader had to do something. Of course he knew what was on the other teen's mind but it was the best opening line he could think of without being too direct.

"Have you ever wondered what life would be like on the other side?" Kid Flash replied quietly, his empty gaze never moving from whatever had held his attention for the past three hours. Robin, unsure to what, exactly, he was referring to, stayed silent and waited for an eventual elaboration. "Jinx and I, we used to talk about it. What would it be like to be a 'normal' person? I mean, we were normal once, but, it's been a while. We used to joke about being the helpless people, saved by some other hero, or wronged by some villain. We wondered what it would be like. I guess you know, don't you? I mean, you were there once, the onlooker wanting to stop what you were seeing but being unable to do it." Robin's fists clenched, anger bubbling inside him at the mention of his family's demise. It took everything he had to keep from lashing out at his teammate but he managed it. He just hoped Kid Flash had a _point_ to this. There was a few seconds' pause in his little speech but Kid Flash did continue, still quiet and somber in tone, still staring at whatever was out there, across the bay. "I got a taste of it. It's not a good feeling, watching, knowing you can't stop what you're seeing no matter how badly you want to, it's not a good feeling." He blinked a few times, trying to hold back tears. He'd cried enough the night before. Jinx would tease him about going soft, or softer, if she was there. But she wasn't there. "Kim probably feels the same way. She doesn't have any super powers, just that suit. Suits only do so much. _We_ can only do so much."

"Does this mean you've forgiven her?" Robin winced at the question. Raven had explained Jinx's order to leave her behind and none of the Titans part of the assault held Kim accountable, but Kid Flash had yet to state his opinion on the matter. In fact, this was the first time Robin had heard the young woman's name from his friend's lips. Somewhere, he hoped that Kid Flash saw it the same way the rest of them did: a risky mission that could've ended a lot worse than it did. But rationally, Robin knew forgiveness was awhile away.

Kid Flash never gave Robin an answer though, simply tearing his gaze away and leaving the Common Room in silence, and at normal speed, which was beyond strange. Robin just watched him go, wondering how they'd be able to defend the city, better yet the world, from the horsemen with their team in total disarray, not to mention short a member. Actually, short _three _members. The Teen Titans had faced rough odds before but this... was completely different.

"But there's still hope," Robin assured himself. Hope was something that always helped them in the past. He had to believe it would help them now. "As long as there's hope, we have a chance."

_~Off in Jump City~_

"You barely touched your pizza," Shego watched Kim's eyes flicker up to meet hers, just briefly, before falling back to her food. _Man, she's taking this hard. _It didn't take Shego long to learn what had happened after she passed out the night before and while the entire Tower was taking Jinx's death hard, Shego could argue that Kim was suffering most of the group. She internally winced. _Okay, maybe the Kid is feeling this just as bad. But still... she's taking this way too hard. It was bound to happen._ Shego had been in the game for too long, perhaps, and on both sides of the fight, but no one could look at the life of a superhero, or villain, and not expect death to hover close by. Plus, Raven had already warned them that someone was going to die. If anything, they should take this as a good sign. However, that thought Shego kept to herself, knowing that no one was in the mood to hear it. "You really should eat, Princess."

"I know," Kim supplied, making an attempt, for Shego's sake, to finish- or, rather, start- her meal. The two had decided to spend the day hanging around Jump City, wanting to be away from the others as everyone grieved. Actually, Shego had decided that; Kim just didn't argue with the idea. "It's weird seeing you, ya know... without green skin."

Shego just smiled. They were both testing out the holo-rings Cyborg had whipped up for them. It was a small relief, being able to walk around in public without being recognized, but strange too, for both of them. While Kim wasn't used to seeing Shego without green skin, Shego wasn't used to seeing Kim with blonde hair and blue eyes. _I usually don't go for blondes, but she pulls it off quite well. I should start calling her Lemon._ "Can you believe, if not for that stupid comet, I'd look like this all the time?"

"Hmmm, but then, would we have ever met?" Kim gave a halfhearted laugh, pushing away the half eaten pizza. "Guess that's what they mean by 'every cloud has a silver lining', huh?"

"Guess so. I know I wouldn't change it for anything," Shego sincerely replied, running her hand through her ebony locks. While Kim had requested her hair and eye color changed, for obvious reasons, Shego had chosen to keep everything but her skin tone. Now, she was a healthy looking tan, close to what she suspected her 'real' skin tone would be. "Did you want to catch a movie, Kimmie?"

"Nah, not really," Kim gave Shego the best fake smile the younger woman could muster. Of course, Shego saw straight through the weak attempt. _Damnit, must she be so difficult? _

"Kimmie... Kim," Shego reached across the table and took her hand, forcing their eyes to meet. Even though they were blue at the moment, Shego could still see the doubt and fear, plus an overwhelming amount of guilt, swirling in those orbs. "Beating yourself up isn't going to bring Jinx back to life. You've got to move past this."

"Shego, you just-" Kim sighed, pulling her hand free and standing up. "I don't want to talk about it right now. Let's go for a walk, okay?"

_Why do you always have to be the headstrong hero, Kimmie?_ Shego growled to herself, annoyed with Kim's demeanor. Yet, she did as instructed, abandoning the table and walking next to the younger woman, trying to think of something to say to soothe the pain she knew Kim was trying to bottle up. _Think, Shego, what would you want to hear if- Nevermind, can't try that approach. Damnit, think!_ An uneasy silence settled over the couple as they walked, both in deep thought though over totally different matters.

_~Off in Nevermore~_

"Raven, why does this place get creepier every time we come here?" Beastboy gulped loudly, eying the birds perched on dead trees that surrounded them with a slight amount of dread. He never liked this part of Raven's mind. For the record, neither did she.

"Probably because we keep coming," Raven replied sourly, more annoyed that the area seemed bigger than the last time they'd visited. A sure sign her uninvited guest was gaining more power, which was never good news. Fortunately, she could still easily banish him if she chose to do so. _Un_fortunately, she still needed her father's assistance. "Trigon, show yourself!"

"Hmph, such an insolent child," a voice rumbled from nowhere, yet seemingly everywhere, causing the birds to stir on their branches. As was his custom, Trigon appeared before his daughter and her mate in the only form he could muster in his current state: four glowing red eyes that hovered there, just out of reach, of the two Titans.

"An absentee father can do that to a kid," Raven replied tersely, choosing to use her anger to keep her father in check. While it had once been part of his hold on her, the older and wiser Raven now knew how to turn it into her own weapon, one that she knew Trigon feared in his currently weakened state. "You lied to me."

"You sound surprised," Trigon's tone reflected boredom, as if he wasn't too concerned with his daughter's friends. That was probably true but it wasn't something that would ever be asked or said outright. "I warned you the Titans would face loss."

"You said that would happen _during_ the final battle, not before it!" Raven spoke through tightly clenched teeth. Beastboy moved closer to her and took one of her hands in his, trying to remind her they needed Trigon's cooperation for a while yet. His lover understood the message and tried to keep her demeanor calm and collected despite her rage. "So tell me, Father, why didn't you think to divulge this information, that one of us would die _before_ the final battle? Is there more you are hiding?"

Trigon sighed, both in frustration and annoyance. "I am _not_ hiding anything. I gave you all that I had to give, Seed. I showed you those who were bound to come before they arrived, did I not? I warned you of the dangers you are now facing, did I not?"

"You didn't tell me we'd be fighting our own," Raven cut in, taking a step towards her father's visage. "You didn't tell me Commando and Pantha would be fighting against us. You also didn't tell me that Jinx was going to die."

"That is because I didn't know," Trigon replied evenly, though growling with each word. "If it has not escaped your notice, my strength is nowhere near what it was before _your_ friends banished me. I am no longer the Lord I once was. Now, I, the great Trigon, am merely a... servant."

"Servant? Servant to who?" Beastboy spoke up, forgetting who he was talking to momentarily. He knew Trigon hated to be addressed by any but his daughter but, at the moment, the changeling couldn't really care. The focus of those burning red eyes turned on Beastboy, conveying contempt.

"I... cannot say. My _Master_ had forbidden it," the words dripped with anger and disgust but that only served to make the two Titans feel better about Trigon's sudden reappearance. Hopefully, his 'Master' would keep his leash short and his power minimal. At least until he could be dealt with in his own turn.

"Tell your Master that, once we've defeated the horsemen, we'll be coming after him next," Raven stated, feeling Beastboy nod, agreeing with her promise. Trigon gave a throaty laugh.

"Are you so certain of victory? You've seen for yourself that the future can always change. Maybe the Titans will fall."

"I sincerely doubt that," Raven gave her father a smile and waved her hand, instantly shattering the reality Trigon had formed for himself in the deepest corner of Nevermore. Engulfed in black, Raven and Beastboy found themselves reappearing in Happy's domain, surrounded by bright colors with faint laughter coming from just behind a far hill. They stayed silent a moment, thinking over everything that had transpired since Trigon's sudden emergence in Nevermore. Watching flashes of a world like their own but belonging to their newest friends, the fights between Kim and Shego, Drakken's failed attempts at world domination, Ron and Rufus chowing down on nacos or playing video games, learning who they were without ever meeting them. Then, of course, meeting the four, er, five strangers to their world and really getting to know them... and, so soon after making these new friends, losing others.

"I'm glad he's gone," Beastboy finally stated, sitting down in the brightly colored grass. Raven just watched him a moment, a faint smile on her lips.

"Do you think he was right?" she spoke softly, so softly Beastboy wasn't sure he'd heard her correctly.

"Rae, I'm not going to lie to you, things are probably going to get worse for us," forest green eyes met violet, inviting the young woman to join him on the grass. As she sat herself down, Raven noticed Beastboy grabbing her hand once more. However, he didn't continue speaking and, after a minute of silence, Raven decided to prompt him.

"But?" her voice was hopeful, wanting to hear whatever reassurance he could offer her. Beastboy flashed her a toothy smile.

"Well, so far, the record for Trigon's end-of-the-world proclamations stands at one-nothing, Titans with the lead. I think it's safe to say the guy has no idea what he's talking about."

"Yeah, I guess you have a point there," Raven mumbled, wishing for something a little more concrete. But, she was willing to believe, unlike last time, that the Titans were ready and would triumph once more. Laying back on the grass, the two stared at the sky, hearing Happy's laughter draw closer. "Do you want to go back yet?"

"Nah, let's stay here a little longer," Beastboy suddenly sat bolt upright. "You think our little girl's gonna have her own little place like Nevermore?"

"Certain it's a girl, aren't we?" Raven raised a brow and laughed, thinking a moment. "Maybe, if she inherits my powers. But, she might be a Daddy's girl and be a shapeshifter."

"I hope she gets your powers though," Beastboy smiled devilishly, eyebrow raised. "She'll never be able to hide _anything_ from us if we keep her portal until she's a safe age."

"Safe age?" Raven cocked her head to the side. "Like when?"

"Like, thirty?"

_~Off in Jump City Again~_

"Hey, is that Tin Man over there?" Shego pointed across the street to a young man in a light blue hoodie and faded jeans. She probably wouldn't have noticed him except that the man in question looked a bit bigger than your average Jump City resident Though she wasn't sure why, the fact she'd recognized the disguised Titan had her slightly worried. _This place is starting to feel so much like home... _

"Looks like." Kim's reply was almost automatic. She hadn't said much since they'd left the pizza place, much to Shego's dismay.

"Well, let's go over and see if it is!" Shego took firm hold of Kim's hand and practically dragged her across the street. _Avoiding the Titans isn't going to help matters, Kimmie. You're going to have to face it and move on or, so help me God, I'll _make_ you!_ "Well, look who left the garage for a bit."

"Hey there, Kim and Sh-, uh, Kim's girlfriend," Cyborg recovered just in time, putting on his best apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I've forgotten your name. Bad memory, heh."

"Oh, that's alright," Shego pretended to brush it off without supplying a name. She had hoped to get a reaction out of Kim but she was more concerned with looking anywhere but at Cyborg. _This is going to take forever! Damnit!_ "Hookay, well, what're you doing out and about?"

Cyborg frowned. "Honestly, we _should_ be back at the garage, what with all the work we've got piled up, but Rufus was insistent we help him find a mate since Beastboy is M.I.A. at the moment. So, uh, Drew and I are helping the little guy. You'd be surprised how persuasive Rufus can be. Drew's in the pet shop right now."

"A mate for the naked mole rat?" Shego shook her head a little, trying to get the thought out of her mind. "I can barely stand _one_ of those creepy little things!"

"Everyone deserves to be happy, Shego," Kim's voice nearly caused Shego to jump. _She speaks! Someone, call off the National Guard!_ The former villainess instantly regretted her comment, though it went unvoiced, by the tears threatening to roll down Kim's cheeks. "_Everyone_ deserves to be happy."

"Calm down, Cupcake, I was just kidding," Shego offered the younger woman a soft smile, knowing that the conversation now had _nothing_ to do with naked mole rats. Reaching out to Kim didn't help as the heroine moved just out of range and started walking away, leaving Shego and Cyborg standing there.

"She's taking this pretty hard." Cyborg's words were soft and matter-of-fact, confirmed by a simple nod of Shego's head. The young man sighed, looking up to the sky. "I don't know what to tell her."

"Neither do I," Shego mumbled, honestly unsure of what it would take to calm her beloved redhead down._ It's weird for Kimmie to be this... emotional. She's usually calm and cool. I mean, sure, she would still feel bad if something like this had happened a year ago, but she didn't bat an eyelash at the Lowardians' deaths. It had to be done. I wish I could just smack some sense into her!_ Suddenly, something occurred to her and she flashed Cyborg a smile. "I think I might have an idea though." With that, Shego raced after Kim, determined to improve the younger woman's mood. Or at least have some fun in the process. When the green skinned woman caught up to her redhead, who had slowed to a walk not twenty meters away, Shego grabbed Kim's wrist and tugged her along, forcing the younger woman to run with her.

"Sh-! Damnit, what the-"

"Run now, questions later!"

_~Off By the Bay~_

"Is it bad that I'm not extremely upset?" Terra questioned softly, hugging her knees to her chest. The water's surface was unusually still, as if, by silent agreement, the entire bay had agreed to mourn Jinx's passing. Ron gave her a long and measured look before replying.

"You're not as upset as you could be but... I think you're just a bit more used to loss than the rest of us," Ron tilted his head back slightly, looking at the towering building behind him. "Well, I should say, I think you're more aware of utter lose than the rest of us."

"Utter lose?" Terra met his brown eyes with her darkened blue ones, trying to decode his statement. In true Ron fashion, the young man gave her an easy smile and shrugged.

"Hey, you lost every home you had, lost your friends, then lost your mentor, and after all that, lost your _life_ in some sense. I think that constitutes 'utter loss' right?" Terra chuckled, a slight grin to her lips, though all too brief.

"But I got it all back, Ron. My home, my friends, my life- I got it _back_. There's no way..."

"Hey, didn't Raven say that it _looked_ like a lot of the Titans died during her dream, but they all ended up being alive at the end, right?" Ron hoped beyond hope that Terra would momentarily forget about the one Raven thought was missing. The worry in those blue eyes quickly dashed that hope though. However, being the good sidekick and companion he was, Ron continued trying to make the young woman feel better. "There's always a chance-"

"Are you always this optimistic?" Terra cut in, more out of annoyance than anything else. The young man beside her gave a thoughtful pause before flashing her the goofiest grin she'd ever seen.

"Only when my pants are on." Terra blinked. Then, she erupted in a fit of giggles.

"That is the _worst_ pick up line I've _ever_ heard!"

"It wasn't a pick up line!" Ron replied defensively, indicating his belt line. "Do you _realize_ how many times my pants have fallen down during a mission? Seriously, it's like I'm cursed!"

"Yet you always prevailed, is that what you're saying?" Terra managed, clearing her throat a little to try and stem any more laughter. Ron smiled for a moment, then frowned, looking out across the bay.

"Honestly? I completely forgot where I was going with this," Ron scratched his head, trying to remember what point he had been trying to prove. Terra just watched him, her mind wandering to what else Raven had predicted.

"Do you think you're going to die, Ron?" A lengthy silence followed, Terra still looking at Ron who was still looking across the bay. When those muddy brown eyes met her somber blues, the young woman drew back slightly at the calm, quiet defiance she saw there.

"No, Terra, I'm not going to die. Before you ask, I know I'm not going to die because I know you're going to live, and as long as one of us survives the fight, the rest of us won't die either. We'll live on in the memories of those we leave behind. My family, my friends, those people back home who know me as Kim's bumbling sidekick, they'll remember me. We are all immortal, so long as we choose to keep those who have gone before us in our hearts," Ron laughed at the shock on Terra's face, reaching out to touch her shoulder lightly. "You alright, Terra?"

"Yeah, I just... never expected you to say something so deep," she blinked a few times before scooting herself over next to Ron and leaning her head on his shoulder. Ron wrapped a protective arm around the young woman as they watched Jump City in the distance. "Where did that come from, anyway?"

"Something my Rabbi said at a funeral once or twice. I know I didn't really know Jinx too well, but I'll always have those few memories of her to keep her alive. Maybe once it's all settled, the Titans can hold a proper funeral, maybe build a monument to her or something."

"That's what they did for me, when they thought I had died," Terra closed her eyes, trying to remember what it was like, being trapped in that stone prison. She couldn't, of course, she could barely remember those first few days after her revival, but she still tried. "They even put a plaque up. I go back there and read it from time to time. It's a good idea; I'll bring it up to Robin. Thanks Ron."

"Hey, being the helpful sidekick is what I do, remember?" Ron leaned his head on top of Terra's and they stayed like that for a bit, watching as the water started to roll, small waves splashing up on the rocks of the Tower's small island. In his head, Ron was wondering if Shego was having any luck pulling Kim out of her depression. He had thought about joining the two on their excursion to Jump City but somewhere in the back of his head, he knew he couldn't. He had Terra now, just like Shego had Kim, and though his heart went out to his best friend, he wasn't the one she needed to soothe her pain. If Shego failed, he would step in with his usual Ron-ness but he doubted the former villainess would allow herself to fail. She was just as headstrong as Kim and wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. A small part of him still wanted to be there, to know how everything played out, but Ron knew better. Besides, they were running out of time. Little moments like these, where he could just sit and watch the bay with Terra, were in limited supply.

The young man squeezed Terra a little tighter then, hoping against hope he wouldn't have to let go. It was perhaps a little selfish but Ron didn't really care at that moment. He could afford to be a little selfish every now and again, right?

_~Off in Jump City Park~_

_Alright, phase one out of the way, now for phase two!_ Shego was panting heavily by the time they reached the park but she still had a wide grin on her lips, proving she was in far better spirits than Kim.

"Shego, what the HELL was that all about?" the younger woman was bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. The two had literally ran three city blocks to reach the park and, while they were both very fit, it still wasn't exactly a walk in the park... so to speak. Rather than answer her, Shego took a second to collect herself, then launched into a wicked roundhouse kick that should have landed on the right side of Kim's head. However, instincts kicked in just in time and the younger woman dodged the attack, cocking back her fist to give Shego a piece of her mind.

It went on for about twenty minutes, the two women trading blows just like the old days. _Huh, she must be training on the side. That, or I'm getting soft._ Shego couldn't help but smile as she blocked a particularly vicious kick. She thought that maybe Kim had let her training slide now that she had Cyborg's suit to multiply her strength, but not so. Though the little bout lacked their usual playful banter, Shego could see the thoughts flashing in Kim's eyes. It was a strange and beautiful thing, fighting Kim Possible when she was upset. Before, the emerald villainess had never needed to know what had the redhead upset. Now, with a much more... intimate knowledge of the younger woman, Shego _wanted_ to know what those eyes were trying to say. _Come on, Kim. Tell me how I can help you help yourself!_

Finally, Shego saw the opening she'd been waiting for and lunged, catching the former cheerleader off guard and tackling both of them to the ground. It took less than a second for Kim to react, instantly trying to gain dominance as they rolled across the grass. _That's it, almost there! _Shego waited, bucking her hips up and flipping them just before Kim could gain the mounted position, once again pinning the younger woman beneath her. That was all she really needed; Kim was sufficiently distracted with trying to escape or fight back. Now was the time to make her move, so Shego went for it, abandoning her hold on her lovely opponent and dropping her body down, her lips seeking out her lover's. Initially, Kim tried fighting back but, as their lips met in a passionate kiss, the younger woman stilled out of shock for a few moments before returning Shego's advances. _Heh, and here I thought I'd be doing all the work myself._

Though not as violent as their fight, their impromptu make-out session was just as intense and passionate and it eventually got to the point where Shego had to put a stop to it before they went _too _far. With a somewhat disappointed sigh, from both parties, they separated, laying on their backs and staring up at the clear, midday sky. They were partially shaded by a nearby oak tree and as the sunlight danced between the leaves, Shego gathered up her thoughts, looking for somewhere to start.

"Guadalupe," Shego managed slightly above a whisper, though still catching Kim's attention effectively.

"What?" Kim turned on her side and Shego did the same, a soft smile on the older woman's lips.

"You've been asking for my name, right?" Shego rolled her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. "Guess it wasn't _that_ important."

"Don't even _start_ that with me, Shego!" Kim returned Shego's smile, reaching out with her right hand to hold Shego's left, their other arms acting as pillows for their heads. "Guadalupe... It's Spanish, right? What's it mean?"

"Honestly, it literally translates to 'valley of wolves' but its historically referring to the Virgin Mary, in some weird way. I forget how though," Shego frowned, her brows furrowing as she tried to remember all the stories she'd heard as a child. She was distracted by Kim bursting out in laughter. "What? What's so funny, Kim?" In her head, Shego was getting more than a little annoyed. _I didn't tell you so you could laugh at me, Princess! _Kim managed to calm down enough to explain herself, just barely.

"I'm s-sorry, She- Guadalupe. It's just that, I think it's funny: you're a hardcore, no-one-messes-with-me superhero, and your name is either the badass 'valley of wolves' or the 'Virgin Mary'?" Kim started giggling again, trying hard to keep them unnoticeable, and failing miserably.

"Hey, the Virgin Mary is pretty badass! She gave birth to the Son of God for Christ's sake!" Shego replied defensively. Kim stopped giggling long enough to notice what Shego had just said, the two looking at each other for a long moment before bursting into laughter.

"We're so going to Hell for this."

"Probably," Shego stopped laughing and looked into Kim's eyes, her tone as sincere as possible. "I don't care where I go, as long as we're together."

"That's sweet," Kim whispered, grinning. "Cheesy, but sweet." Shego could see Kim's mind turning to darker matters and knew her time was starting to run out. _Now or never._

"Kim, I'm sorry."

There was a slight silence, a pause both could feel, before Kim answered, turning her gaze skyward once more. "What are you sorry for, Shego?"

"For not being there for you," Shego had to force the words out. She rarely apologized but the situation called for something drastic. "For putting the pressure on you. You shouldn't... feel solely responsible, Kimmie. If anyone deserves the blame, it _should_ be me."

Another silence, this one stretching longer than the last. Kim still wasn't looking at her. _Damnit, Kim, work with me here! I can't do this all by myself! Come on!_ Shego was about to say something else when Kim finally spoke up, her tone soft, almost to the point where Shego couldn't hear her. "I don't want any of us to die, Lupe." Shego couldn't help but smirk at that. _Already starting with the pet names? Guess I have rubbed off on her._ "Not Ron, or Drakken, surely not you. I'm scared. Aren't you?" Kim turned then, meeting Shego's eyes with tears in her own. "How can you act like it's nothing? Jinx _died_ yesterday! We might _all_ die! How can you be so strong?"

_Well, wasn't expecting that._ "It had to happen, Pumpkin. Fate is against us and we can't change it. The best thing we can do is keep living and make sure the horsemen are stopped." Shego sighed. It had been _years_ since she'd even thought about giving a 'brave hero in the face of danger' speech but it seemed that was the only option left to her at this point. "Even if it costs us our lives. At least we'll save other people, and that's what heroes do, remember?"

Kim mumbled something to the affirmative, blinking back tears. Without having to put the thoughts to voice, Shego knew what Kim wanted to say. Here was a young woman who, since a very young age, had been shouldering the responsibilities most adults couldn't even fathom. Without asking for anything in return, either! Of course, when faced with something of this magnitude, the famous Kim Possible would feel scared and, also because she was the famous Kim Possible, feel obligated to _not_ be scared.

"Kimmie-"

"Shego, are we-" Kim cut Shego off then stopped, trying to word whatever she had to say in the best way possible. "Are we going... be together... if we get back?"

_Of course she has to ask that... damnit... what do I say?_ Shego swallowed. Of _course_ she wanted them to still be together but... damnit, at one point, she knew why that _could not_ happen. She couldn't remember her own reasoning though. The silence stretched as Shego tried to think quickly; Kim was waiting for an answer and Shego had to say _something_. Finally, she managed the only thing she knew for sure. "I don't know, Princess."

_~Off The Street~_

"Dick? What are you doing here?" Drakken raised a brow to the young man approaching them, dressed similarly to Cyborg but with a gray hoodie and an oversized pair of shades. Though there was nothing to distinguish the young man from any other Jump City denizen, the scientist could tell by the way he walked that it was none other than Robin approaching Cyborg and himself.

"I was trying to track down Wally. I talked to him a little bit earlier but then he just... left," worry predominated the young man's tone, betraying the concern he refused to allow show on his face. Cyborg and Drakken looked to each other and shrugged.

"We haven't seen him out. Did you try tracking his communicator?" Cyborg offered, trying not to be too worried by Robin's anxious demeanor. With a nod and a quick explanation that the device in question was left at the Tower, powered down no less, Cyborg frowned, convinced there was something his friend was hiding. "What did you two talk about?"

"A little about Jinx," Robin grudgingly admitted, hoping, for both their sakes', that Kid Flash wasn't going to do anything stupid. Scanning the area like he had throughout the city, the Boy Wonder could tell Cyborg was waiting for further explanation. The younger man sighed, knowing his occasionally over emotional half metal friend was about to give him a rather winded speech, or rant rather. "I asked him if he had forgiven Kim yet."

"You did _what_?" Cyborg blinked a moment, then waved his hand to dismiss the question. "What did he say?"

"Nothing," Robin shook his head, unsure what else to say. "He just walked away."

Drakken looked between the two young men, trying to read the expressions on their faces. There was worry there, in abundance, but something else too. Concentration, he realized, having seen the look on Cyborg's face before.

"Wally's usually so... talkative. He just walked away?"

"Yeah... Vic-"

"I know," Cyborg cut Robin off, rolling up one sleeve and partially deactivating his holo-ring to access his interface. "If we can't find Wally, we should find Kim."

"You don't think he'd do anything to hurt her, do you?" Drakken suddenly felt an overwhelming amount of concern for his former arch nemesis. It was more for Shego's sake than for the redhead's but that wasn't important.

"I don't _think_ so," Robin spoke slowly, rubbing his temples. At this point, things _could not_ get any worse. "But, a month ago, I didn't think Commando would be trying to kill us. Things change."

"Yeah, but some things don't. He's still a Titan." Cyborg tried his best to sound confident in that phrase but it faltered slightly. They'd said it before; they'd been proven wrong before. And proven right though the score of one to the other wasn't exactly clear. "Let's try to find Kim."

_~Off In The Park~_

_This is not good..._ Shego's fists were clenched, her body ready to launch into a fighter's stance at the first indication of trouble. She was only dimly aware of the people at the edges of the park, pointing and talking excitedly, unaware of the extreme danger of the situation. Normally, the emerald woman wouldn't wait- she'd go on the offensive and use every advantage available to her- but that simply wasn't practical at the moment. For one, they were in public and in disguise. For another, Kim didn't have her super suit and Shego herself wouldn't stand a chance against the woman before her.

"You two look so shocked. It is rather amusing." War sat before them, astride a large white horse, decked out as she'd been last they saw her. To the people in the distance, she was still Commando, Teen Titan, heroine and savior of the city. They had no idea she wanted them, and the rest of the planet for that matter, dead. "You should relax. Anyone else would be absolutely ecstatic to talk to a famous Teen Titan."

"What the Hell do you want, War?" Shego spat, her anger rising. _Damnit! I can't take her one-on-one... Damnit! I hate being this... helpless!_ She was about three seconds from igniting her plasma, to Hell with the odds, and charging the woman in front of her. Then, just as she started to raise her fists, Kim laid a hand on her shoulder, softly. Neither woman dared take their eyes off War but Shego could see those fake blonde locks shift side-to-side, like Kim was shaking her head. _Son of a- REALLY!_

"Seems someone has sense." War sighed, a gesture that was becoming more and more an automatic response to any external stimuli rather than a way to express a particular emotion. The horse mimicked her, noisily exhaling and shaking himself, though War didn't seem to move. _Damnit, another hologram? No, the wind is moving her hair, I think... God I hate this chick! _"I came to deliver a message; I will not fight you."

"I have a question for you first, War," Kim had her teeth clenched, her expression more serious than ever before. Shego didn't even need to see her lover's face to feel the power of that look. She remembered that special brand of anger; it rarely came out but God help its target. The horseman didn't seem fazed though. _Typical. Can't catch a break._ "Who did it?"

"Who did it?" War parroted the phrase, raising a brow as she crossed her arms. "I assume you are referring to which of us activated the self destruction of the facility." Kim nodded subtly, obviously struggling to keep her anger in check. That was unusual; even when angry, Kim always appeared to be in control of her emotions. _Not good. Definitely not good._ "Death activated the detonation devices. I would like to say I gave her that command but, unfortunately, she made that decision on her own."

Kim nodded and Shego held her breath. Since their arrival in Jump City, Shego noticed a change in her former rival, as well as herself, and braced for what she feared was coming: a promise from the young redhead that she would kill Death in revenge. To her great relief, it never came, though the anger was still obviously there, and instead War was invited to deliver her message.

"In your religions, the Horsemen signal the arrival of the Apocalypse, the End of Days." War stated, her lips slightly turned into a smile. "I figured I might as well take that literally. So here before you is a Horseman, delivering that signal. Today is the twenty seventh. On the thirty first, we will come to Jump City to destroy the Titans and the city. By midnight, when the New Year arrives, the world will know their fate is sealed."

_Definitely doesn't beat around the bush._ Shego's eyes narrowed slightly. Something about this didn't make any sense. _Why would they tell us? Wouldn't it be better to just pop up, like they usually do?_ Kim, obviously, was wondering the exact same thing.

"Since when do the horsemen give us fair warning? Were you afraid we'd miss your party?" Shego couldn't help but feel slightly relieved, hearing more taunting in her tone than anger. _Looks like Kimmie's feeling better._ War didn't seem amused by the slight taunt though.

"Something like that." Taking the cue, the horse turned away, already walking away from the two young women. War casually talked one last comment over her shoulder before leaving. "Consider yourselves formally invited to your own funerals."

Kim and Shego watched War ride off, tossing smiles to the adoring public, even waving to some, as she rode down the street. _Well, that was weird._ Finally convinced there was no danger present, Shego and Kim dropped their stances and started breathing a little easier.

"So, Death did it?" Shego whirled, once again ready to fight, but quickly dropped her stance when she noticed who was speaking. While she had never seen the young man out of uniform, the absolutely broken expression on his face could only belong to Kid Flash. Kim, who instantly recognized the voice, turned slower, a slight dread registering on her features. She couldn't even speak, giving a simple nod instead. "Huh. Makes sense, I guess." A tense silence filled the void between the two redheads before Kid Flash spoke again. "I don't know what I would've done. I'd like to say I would've been able to save everyone but I know there's a difference between theoretically doing something and realistically doing it. In my head, I know you did everything you could... but somewhere inside, I wish it was you."

"That was completely uncalled for!" Shego snapped, taking a step towards the young man. Maybe Shego wasn't conscious for the whole ordeal, and to some extent the cause of it, but there was no reason for him to say _that_. _Who the Hell does this kid think he is?_

Kid Flash gave her a small smile. "You're probably right... but... I just felt like... like it needed to be said before..." The young man was suddenly cut off when Kim lunged forward and hugged him, softly sobbing into his shoulder. Shego was mildly alarmed- or perhaps jealous, she wasn't entirely sure- but managed to keep it to herself. _If this is what she needs..._ After about half a minute, the young woman managed to choke out two words.

"I'm... sorry." Only then did the Titan return the hug, a few tears of his own leaking out, the first since passing out the night before.

"Yeah... I know."

Shego, unable to do anything else, watched and waited. She hoped the two would reconcile now, that Kim's mood would improve and the wounds would heal, but with the horsemen's deadline now looming in the all too near future, the former villainess had to concern herself with other things as well.

_We can't just show up with ten people and expect to win. We need some sort of leverage, a plan... and more people. _She stood, deep in thought, trying her hardest to work out a plan. Kim had done the planning for the last fight and, considering the results, was certain the redhead wouldn't be stepping back up to the plate any time soon. There was always the option of leaving the planning up to the Titans- it _was_ their world and all- but Shego had a feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. _There's got to be something I can do... I've never been the religious sort but... there just _has_ to be a reason for all this! Some reason, something that _we _can do that _they_ can't! But what? WHAT IS-_

"Uh, everything cool over here?" Cyborg's voice cut through Shego's thoughts. At some point, Cyborg, Robin, and Drakken had all arrived at the park. _Either they're very quiet or I'm losing my touch. _Shego thought wryly, nodding as she gestured towards Kim and Kid Flash.

"They'll be fine. Did you make it in time for War's little speech?" When three sets of eyebrows went up, Shego quickly explained the former Titan's proclamation. Without hesitation, Cyborg and Drakken left, most likely to return to their lab and work as hard as they could to finish Kim's supersuit, among other things, leaving Robin and Shego standing off to the side while Kim and Kid Flash continued their embrace. Shego was trying _not_ to watch, that same feeling of alarm/jealousy lingering. When she finally spoke, it was so abrupt she nearly caught herself off guard. "Think we'll be ready, Gel Boy?"

Robin stayed silent, reviewing everything that had happened in his entire career as a crime fighter, from becoming 'Robin' to becoming a Titan. Five minutes later, when he walked away to retrieve his motorcycle, he still hadn't answered her.

_Huh, alone again it seems._ Shego smiled wryly once more, shaking her head. True, she'd never been the socialite, and she wasn't too fond of Robin of all the Titans, but he could've said _something._ Now she was stuck standing there, watching the woman she loved embrace another. Oh, there was nothing more to it than that, and deep down she knew it, but Shego was possessive too and as prone to jealousy as just about every other person on the planet. A planet that might be uninhabited in a very short time, if the horsemen have their way. _To think, I went from heroine to international thief to heroine again just to die in an another universe. How funny is Fate?_

Emerald eyes widened as something occurred to her, a thought so simple, she was certain some higher power must be laughing that it took until _now_ for her to see it. Everything was falling into place- Raven's vision, the battles, the calls, the little things she'd overlooked until now- _everything_ was coming together and it just fit _so_ perfectly! _Yeah... that's it! That's how we can beat them! It's gotta be!_ Her lips quirked up in her signature smirk, the plan already forming in her head. Sometimes, being a former villainess had its perks; none of the Titans would think to even try what she had up her sleeve. The smirk died as a sobering thought crossed her mind though. _Jinx... you would've seen this too. We would've seen it but... I never said it, but I really liked you, kid. Kimmie might be too good to do it, but I promise, we'll get revenge... we'll stop them. _Her thoughts grew even more somber as she came to her final conclusion. There was only _one_ way she could figure it all playing out. Only _one_ way to make the dominoes fall just the right way. And that way would be damn near devastating to the young woman desperately trying to piece herself back together. _Princess will take it hard... but she's strong. She'll pull through. I know she will. She's Kim Possible! She _can_ and _will_ do anything! I have to believe that, even when everything else goes to shit, she'll still do what needs to be done. God, I hope she can forgive me..._

"Lupe?" Emerald eyes snapped up to meet bright blue, slightly mired by red as Kim wiped away the last traces of her tears. Hearing the new pet name put a lump in Shego's throat, knowing what would come next, but the decision was made. She had to go through with it. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah. Are you cool with Ki- Wally?"

"Uh, yeah... he's going to be okay. He's just going someplace quiet for a little while. I hope he isn't gone for too long though; it's not good for us to split up knowing... what's going to happen."

"..."

_~Off on the Roof, Later~_

"Wha-what do you mean you're leaving?" Kim tried to keep her voice from sounding too frantic but failed. Shego could hear the pleading, the distress, and knew it was tearing them _both_ apart, but it _had_ to be done. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

"Princess..." Shego pulled Kim into a fierce hug, trying her hardest to keep from just breaking down. Somewhere, she wondered when she'd become so soft but she already knew the answer to that question. _Come on, Kimmie... be strong for me, please!_ "I don't want to leave but I _know_ what I have to do."

"But why, Shego? Why do _you _have to leave?" Kim was definitely crying now though Shego couldn't feel the younger woman's tears through her suit. _My poor Kimmie._

"Princess, I don't want to, trust me-" _Damnit! What a time for my voice to crack!_ "-but I gotta do this."

"Do _what_ Shego?" Kim pushed back, fierce, glowing bright green eyes meeting sorrow filled emerald ones. This was becoming increasingly difficult. Then again, nothing is ever easy, especially the things that matter most, right? Shego swallowed, forcing herself to stay unmoved by Kim's pleas. "Why can't I come? I could help you do whatever you need to do!"

"Kimmie," Shego sighed, breaking eye contact, unable to keep her resolve while looking into those beautiful orbs. However, after a moment of gathering her thoughts, Shego met Kim's gaze, determined to make the younger woman see, understand what was coming and face it the way Kim Possible always faced things. "Kim, listen to me. This is something I have to do on my own. I know... I think I know my fate, Kim. The part I play in all of this. Now it's time for us to face that. We've had some wonderful moments, Kim, but we knew what it would all come down to eventually."

For a long minute, Kim said nothing, tears streaming down her face as she just stared at Shego. Finally, those brilliant green orbs softened and the redhead deflated slightly. Something within Shego wanted nothing more than to stay and comfort her but there wasn't time for that. _If I stay one minute more, I'm not sure I'll ever leave... I gotta go... it's for the best. _No matter how much she repeated it though, it didn't comfort her. Shego stepped back, activating her suit and gliding away from Kim. _I should tell her I love her... Just in case... at least one more time..._ "Kimmie-"

"No, Shego," Kim stated, turning her back to Shego. "Whatever you have to say, you can say it when you get back."

For a moment, Shego thought Kim had meant that in a spiteful way but, after a moment's reflection, figured it had a different meaning. It was her way of asking Shego to promise that she _would_ be coming back. "As you wish, Princess."

With that, Shego turned and flew up into the evening sky, marking the second time she'd left behind a team of heroes depending on her. The only difference is that _this_ time, she was doing it to _save_ the world. _Life's little ironies._

_Continued In Chapter 10: Repeating History (or Fear the Pumpkin)_

Author's Note: Oh... My... God... I can't believe this took so long to write! I'd like to blame the lack of time... but at the same time... well... I had a terrific amount of difficulty working on this particular chapter, for some reason. Like abnormally annoying writer's block or something... very upsetting. I am hoping the last three chapters won't take so long but, as they'll be covering A LOT, no promises. For those who have been waiting, thank you so much for your patience and I ask that you bear with me just a little longer.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Jack. I also don't own Kim, Ron, Shego, Drakken, Rufus, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beastboy, Cyborg, Speedy, Kid Flash, Bushido, Killowatt-*takes breath* -Mas y Menos, Aqualad, Bumblebee, Jericho, Herald, Thunder, Lightning, Pantha, Jynx, Commando, Death- wait, I do kinda own those last two... ish... Oh well, you get the picture, yes?

Chapter 10: Rewriting History (or Fear the Pumpkin)

_~Morning of the Twenty Eighth~_

"-reporting three injured in a minor car wreck-" "-witnesses say the Teen Titans-" "-latest jailbreak at the high security-" "-in other news, pop culture icon-" "-the wedding is said to start around-"

_Go figure, two whole universes and _still_ nothing good to watch!_ Kim thought wryly as Beastboy continued to click through the channels. Most of the Titans were wide awake despite the 'early' hour of seven in the morning. Robin had decided they would spend the whole of the twenty-eighth training, hoping to become a little stronger, and use the next two days to rest. Kim really couldn't give a damn. As far as she was concerned, she was going to die anyway. The only one to dispute Raven's dark claim was Shego herself and, with the emerald woman AWOL, the redhead found herself a little more skeptical, after nearly dying twice by the hands of the horsemen. _Third time's the charm, right?_

"Alright, the obstacle courses are ready. We'll use it to warm up, then move on to some hand-to-hand workouts," Robin announced as he entered the Common Room. Everyone stopped what they were doing to listen but some seemed more enthused about the training plan than others. Terra gave Ron a worried look but the blonde young man quickly gave a reassuring smile, grabbing her hand to give a gentle squeeze. Kim caught the movement out of the corner of her eye. _Glad one of us is happy, Ron._ "We know the horsemen rely on close range attacks, so we'll need to work on close quarters combat and dodging."

"Yeah, a _lot_ of dodging, especially if those robots bring the firepower again," Beastboy chimed in a little too merrily. Perhaps he was just trying to lighten the mood but Kim's refused to be lightened. She liked the dark cloud hanging over her. It reminded her of dark, quiet nights and a certain pair of dark lips.

"Right, and I'm sure Cyborg and Drakken are working to combat that problem as best they can. Stealing the plans to those machines gave us a slight edge but it won't be enough. The rest of us need to focus on getting as good as we can get in the shortest time possible," Robin nodded, almost as if he was agreeing with himself, then turned to walk away.

"Robin, have you heard from Shego?" Kim suddenly asked, a little shocked at herself for letting the question loose. She promised herself she wouldn't try to hunt the emerald beauty down, no matter how badly she wanted to do so. But the thought kept nagging at her. She _needed_ to know. That she didn't was just... criminal! _One of those things that don't change, I guess. What am I going to do with my vixen villain once we get back?_ Kim mused while keeping a serious expression on her face. The black-haired young man stood still a moment, then, without turning around, replied in a cold tone that instantly set the redhead on edge.

"No. There was a tracer in her suit, but it's been conveniently deactivated. _And_ since she opted to leave her communicator here, there's no way for us to track her. She made sure of _that_ before she left," Robin scoffed. "She just abandoned us."

"No. She. Didn't." Kim growled, getting off the couch and stalking towards the young man. Was she upset that Shego just... well... up and left? Of course, but that didn't give Robin the right to assume _anything_ about her motives. Shego had promised she'd come back. Not in so many words, but Kim knew what they had meant, and she wasn't about to let _anyone_ say otherwise. "Shego wouldn't do that!" Robin whirled, obviously just as angry as Kim.

"Sure looks like she _escaped_ to me, Kim. Isn't that what she does for a living? _Get out_ of things, run away... from _you_?" Kim stood directly in front of the young man, her fists balled, ready to open the floodgates of Hell. She wasn't typically a confrontational person, in most respects, but at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to pound Robin's face in for all he was suggesting.

"That isn't who she is anymore! She's changed!" Kim countered, both teens mere inches away, their teeth clenched as they tried to glare each other down. Shego had a plan, had something she had to do, that only she could do, and Kim would have faith in her no matter what. _I just know it! Shego wouldn't just... leave! She figured something out and she's taking care of it!_ Kim kept screaming in her head but the words never left her mouth. Robin seemed to accept the unspoken challenge, ready to fight to protect his assumption. _Guess he didn't learn the first time! I'll gladly give him a lesson review!_

"To set the record straight, _I_ deactivated the tracer in Shego's suit," Raven's cool tone cut between Robin and Kim, bringing both sets of furious eyes to stare at the purple clad young woman. Robin looked even more furious, and a little betrayed. Of course, the empath didn't even seem to notice, continuing in the same calm, even tone she was prone to using. "Shego has her own part to play. By keeping us guessing, she's keeping the horsemen even further in the dark; they can't understand our form of logic, let alone impulses like this. This is more her style anyway." Raven's eyes focused on Kim, conveying the command for the redhead to cool down. "She knows how to drop out of sight when needed."

"You could say that," Kim mumbled, looking at her feet a moment. Just like the break after Junior Prom and after the Lowardian invasion, Shego knew how to drop off the map completely. But those times were different; they didn't hurt Kim nearly bad as this separation. Damnit, she missed Shego! And they still had days! No doubt Shego would take that long; if she was coming back before, if this was going to be quick, she probably wouldn't have even mentioned it to the redhead. Her green vixen would just disappear for a little while then pop back up, wearing that sexy smirk and looking triumphant. _Damnit, Shego, _where_ did you go?_

"Raven," Robin started in a decisively reprimanding tone. Of course, the young woman was expecting this reaction and already had her response planned out.

"I quite clearly remember when I told _you_ not to help when Trigon almost ended the world, and you did it anyway," Raven settled a leveling gaze on the leader of the Titans. "You went off on your own to bring back the salvation of Mankind. Is it so hard for you to believe that someone else is just as headstrong and determined to bear the weight of the world as you are? And that, maybe, that's _exactly_ what she's supposed to do?"

"I at least told the others where I was going! It's completely different!" Robin could feel Raven's cool gaze breaking his resolve to be angry, like she was reaching into his mind and forcing him to calm down. Or at least leave the room. He chose the second option. "Fine, Raven, if you insist," Robin spoke harshly but left the room as abruptly as he'd entered without so much as a glance to the redhead. Kim closed her eyes, squeezing them as tight as her fists, trying to control her anger. _Shego, damnit, I could've helped! Why couldn't you have told me where you were going! Damnit... The Hell is wrong with me? I don't get this mad! _With Robin gone, Kim started to calm down, a slightly wistful smile coming to her lips as she remembered the last time she'd gotten this angry. Only Shego could make her this emotional, could make her so angry and yet, with another memory swimming in her vision, make her so happy as well. She still wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not; Kim Possible rarely had mood swings like this. She was always cool, level headed, focused... well, most of the time anyway.

"Kim?" Ron's voice broke her reflection, bringing her back to the present. Seeing her best friend relaxed the redhead a little more. "KP, hey... can we... talk?"

The uncertainty in the young blonde's voice, plus the set, serious expression on his face, told Kim far more than Ron would be able to say. Despite how furious she still was at Robin, Kim found a smile easily forming, her expression softening as she nodded. "Of course Ron."

_~Den of the Horsemen~_

"They do not know how close we are. Logic would demand a preemptive strike to catch us off guard yet they do nothing. Obviously, we are far too superior for their simplicity." Death scanned the screens filled with video footage from around the city. Most of them were the city security cameras, set in place for the Titans' use but not operated by the heroes, secretly tapped thanks to War's knowledge of the system. Even more monitors displayed the local news, covering everything from traffic accidents to the prison break to a new health craze. Things that wouldn't matter once the horsemen began their attack. Jump City was the first place to taste the End, a privilege none of its residents would ever appreciate. Pity. "How we have not yet destroyed them is beyond my programming."

"I believe this has already been covered." War would have groaned, had she the emotion to express such a thing as annoyance. All emotions had been phased out of her programming though to allow for the further modifications to their internal systems. While none of those protocols had been copied during the Titans' daring raid, the horsemen chose to err on the side of caution and completely redesign their internal configurations. At best, they effectively staunched any possible advantage the heroes had gained; at worst, they put off destroying the world for a few days. All in all, it was an agreeable plan. It's not like they had a time limit or anything. "Perhaps you could pick a new topic to drone on about."

"You have not left me many options." This was true. Almost all information War deemed not pertinent to destroying the world, and the Teen Titans, was deleted to make way for the main control server for the Maganacs. It was simply taking too great a chance to leave the server anywhere but where the horsemen could easily control it. War had made the same sacrifices in her own inner workings, and with Pestilence as well. If they were to be triumphant, their margin of error had to be microscopic. The Titans had already proven their resourcefulness; the horsemen hadn't counted on the attack at Megacity. It was just happy coincidence that they were using the site to test their newest pawns. "Perhaps you could suggest something."

"I would rather not." War replied, shifting gears to tackle an entirely different headache altogether. "Though your assistance could be used to adjust the firing trajectory on the Maganacs' missile targeting system."

"You have your own targeting programs." Death pointed out, rather pointlessly. War was well aware of that; she just didn't have time to transfer the files and continue programming the fourth internal configuration, not to mention delegate specific tasks for the horseman to accomplish. Really, she was already working on the battle plan for the destruction of the world, so the protocols would take longer than simply copying their plan for the Titans. Explaining that to Death, however, was pointless as well. "I assume mine are superior."

"Assume what you will; there is work to be done." War shot back a little too quickly. She knew the reply was forming before it resounded monotonously in the room. With a quick correction to Death's protocols, War eliminated the option for Death to question any orders the former Titan gave her. The elder horseman's retorts were far too tiresome to process. There was work to be done. Had she retained her sense of humor, War might have thought it funny: she was far more focused on her work now than she'd ever been as a Titan, and all they do _is_ work. "Pestilence, report."

"No change in Famine's condition, War. According to my projections, that is a good sign." Pestilence replied, a slight smile on her lips. The procedures were hurried, unlike those performed to create the other three horsemen, but also unlike the other three, War was the one to perform Famine's. By her projections, Famine would only attain a fraction of the abilities of the other three horsemen. Perhaps eighty percent lethality, if she healed in time to make the assault on Jump City. Pestilence hoped so; she wanted to watch the expressions of the Titans when Famine appeared. She had read through both elder horsemens' files, watched the expression on the Titans' faces when Death revealed herself to look _exactly_ like 'Commando', their friend. Plus the look when Commando returned as War, truly priceless. She anticipated a similar reaction, but it was the look one redhead in particular would wear that made Pestilence hope Famine would recover in time. "Everything is falling into place."

"Yes, just as we planned." War flicked through Famine's protocols and started revamping them, again, to accomodate the Collective's interface. It would take up a considerable space, leaving no room for Famine's concepts of her lost Humanity. War had found that providing the ability for Human emotions and reactions, as she had for Pestilence, typically helped with the transition from Human to horseman but now there was no room for error. Any Human reaction could cost them dearly; they had to be removed. Famine was surprisingly resilient on her own, though, so War had no doubts the newest horseman would be just fine, even without her typical quirks. "Continue."

"Scans show no sign of activity at the Tower since the obstacle courses were shifted and reset."

"That is as expected." War nodded, one of those glitches she couldn't find the time to fix. "All is going as planned."

Pestilence wanted to laugh. "For now, anyway."

_~Back at the Tower~_

"So, what did you want to talk about, Ron?" Kim asked tentatively, concerned by the serious expression on her best friend's face. What with all the craziness of their short two weeks in Jump City, Kim hadn't had the time to talk to her best friend like she once did. In fact, though they saw each other every day, she couldn't remember the last time they sat down and just talked like old times. _Well, at least we'll have one last chat._ The redhead thought grimly, though with a small smile coming to her lips. She was slowly, very slowly, starting to accept that she might not make it out of the coming fight. True, the hyper competitive, positive minded Possible wanted ever so much to believe she could change the fate Raven had spelled out for her, but reality was something she simply could not ignore. If Shego returned before the battle, they might make it through. If Shego returned too late, Kim stood no chance. Not because she thought the emerald enchantress was so important to the battle itself; Kim didn't _want_ to be alive if Shego wasn't there for her afterwords. _Okay, maybe I'm being a little overly dramatic. I mean it's not like I haven't-_ Ron's voice cut off her mental monologue.

"Couple things... first one... it's about going home, I guess," Ron repeated when Kim visibly shook off her thoughts. He didn't blame his best friend for her distraction; he had been equally distracted with Terra through out their stay and wasn't sorry for a moment of it. It actually helped him speak, knowing Kim was feeling the effects of separation so acutely. "When we go home... if we do... things are gonna change, huh?"

"Yeah... Yeah, Ron, they'll change," Kim nodded earnestly. Oh by God they were going to change! Kim was going to make certain of it; she didn't go through all of this to just _let go_ of Shego once they returned home. If they returned, rather. It was a question they hadn't had the time to properly ponder, truth be told. After her own assertion passed through her mind, the question lingered as to what, exactly, _Ron_ thought was going to change. "Uh... What 'things' are you talking about?"

"Well... we won't be here..." Ron started, trying to put into words what he wanted to ask. It was weird; he didn't need her permission for anything, they were best friends and nothing more, but it still... felt _right_ that he ask her. After all, if she had issues with his plan, then there might be a very good reason for that. "KP... Kim, Terra... I've been hanging out with Terra a lot. We've grown really close, and I really like her. I'm talking about _like_ like here, Kim... damn near love, I think..." Ron blushed a little at the word. It was like he was telling his baby sister, Hanna. Hell, Kim practically was his sister, if not in blood, then in deed. They'd weathered some pretty severe storms together and faced fates most people couldn't fathom. But as friends, the best of friends, and though they had tried to take their relationship to the next level, it was impossible to look at each other as anything but friends. "She's like... it's like... there is no unawkweird way to say this..."

"Oh, just give it a shot, Ron," Kim smiled easily, relieved to hear that Ron had found someone to make him feel so many emotions all at once, but primarily two. Affection and confusion: oddly enough, Kim believed, those two seemed to go hand-in-hand, like one didn't exist without the other. "At best, I'll understand. At worst, I'll tease you for a week." She didn't add 'if we have that long' though the thought occurred to her. If Shego was there, the vixen would probably say the words in that teasing tone with her seductive smile, and laugh. Ron, imagining what Terra would've said to such a comment, patiently waited until Kim forced her attention back to the conversation at hand.

"Okay, well, I get this feeling like... maybe the reason I 'm even here at all... is because Terra needs someone... like..." the blonde boy huffed, trying to remember how he'd decided to word his concept in his head. Luckily, Kim was a mind reader, or close enough, when it came to Ron.

"Terra needed someone to believe in her, and someone to believe in, and the two of you have grown a lot closer since we've been here, though it hasn't been all that long," Kim sighed, looking a little envious of the rather simple solution Ron was going through pains to explain. _Leave it to Ron to make something so easy so complicated... then again, I'm pretty guilty of that myself..._ "Now, you don't want to let her go, so you want to take Terra back with us, to Middleton, right?"

Ron gave a short laugh, relaxing considerably. "You got me, KP. I know it seems selfish, but... she just doesn't _belong _here, KP. We can both feel it."

"If you ask me, love _is_ a little selfish, sometimes. Maybe that isn't always true, but it's what I've learned," Kim gave a ghost of a smile as she drew Ron into a hug. "I'm sure Terra will love Middleton. Your parents will absolutely adore her, you know."

Ron returned the hug a little more forcefully. Of course his best friend would understand; looking back now, he wondered why he'd been so nervous in the first place. "Yeah, I'm sure they'll love her. She wants to go; she was the one who suggested it, actually. But..."

"But?" Kim prompted when Ron failed to continue his sentence. The blonde shifted a bit, releasing Kim from the hug and looking away. "Ron?"

"It's going to sound stupid," Ron admitted. He had told himself so many times it was stupid, but still the sensation was there, and Kim was probably the only person he could even try explaining it to, besides Rufus. Speaking of whom... "Have you seen Rufus lately?"

Kim quirked a brow. "Uh, last I saw the little guy, he was peering over Cyborg's shoulder in the lab. You think Rufus has a problem with Terra?"

"No! No, no, I just... I've been a little spaced out lately, I haven't been a very good... friend," Ron finished in a slightly discouraged whisper. His brown eyes turned their focus to Jump City, looking rather peaceful considering the doom pronounced upon it the day before. Kim was looking out across the bay too, agreeing with Ron's comment. Though the trio were usually inseparable, they hadn't been spending nearly as much time together as Kim would've liked. Apparently, Ron was feeling the same way. "Not just to Rufus, either. I haven't been a good friend to you... I know you're going through some rough stuff too."

"Oh." Kim didn't know what to say to that. Sure, Ron was the first person to comfort her when she needed a shoulder to cry on, and had been for over a decade, but this... well, she wasn't sure how he could possibly relate to this. _Come on Ron, do we really have to talk about this? Not like she's here anyway..._

"I feel a little... guilty... if Terra comes home, I'll have... what you and Shego have, but..." Ron offered weakly, running a hand through his hair. "I'm glad you two could be kinda happy, for a little while... I wish it was easy for you two... KP, you deserve to be happy, you know that right?"

"That's really a matter of perspective, Ron," Kim offered, shaking her head slightly. Though he hadn't fully explained it, Kim understood; he was basically apologizing for having found someone to love while she might be losing hers. They had barely spoken since this whole ordeal began, too wrapped up in their separate turmoil, but talking things out like they used to felt good. _Okay, maybe talking to him about Shego wouldn't be so bad._ "You're right though, it's not easy, for either of us... I can feel it, like Shego's really considering... being a good guy once we get back. There's just something I see in her eyes, when we're alone, and lying-"

"Uh, KP? No, um, details, please?" Ron's face was beet red, trying very hard not to imagine what his best friend would do with the emerald woman while simultaneously picturing the beating he'd receive if said woman found out he was imagining said scenes. Kim couldn't help but laugh out loud. _Just when I think it's as bad as it can get, he just has to make me smile. _Though it didn't truly surprise her, she certainly wasn't expecting the conversation to be so easy._ That's what best friends are for though. I was so worried what he'd think, I completely forgot he wouldn't care... now I feel a little stupid._

"What I mean is, when it's just us, I can see it happening. Even when we're out on missions or patrol. I can see Shego being a good guy, but I just... don't know if _she_ can see it too," Kim sighed, drawing her knees up and hugging them to her chest. "I guess I'm just so scared of her leaving that I don't want to talk about her staying. She doesn't seem too keen on broaching the topic either."

"The great Kim Possible scared?" Ron feigned confusion and shock, the dramatic expression somewhat mimicking his tendency to overreact when they were in high school. However, as if to prove he had matured far beyond Kim's expectations, the blond put on a sympathetic smile and patted her shoulder. "It makes sense," Ron nodded. "It feels like you're standing in the middle of a frozen lake. You wanna get to shore, but you're too scared to take a step in any direction, because you might break that fragile little island you have. So you're waiting until it eventually thaws out and you drown. Better then drowning on the first step you take because it was the wrong one." Kim stared at the young man in shock. _When did he get that deep?_ Ron, reading Kim's mind, laughed. "What, the Ron-man can't do a little growing up while you're off at college? Believe it or not, I have matured a bit since you left. I've been doing a lot of reading on my lunch breaks. Good exercise for the mind, you know?"

"Yeah, I do... thanks Ron, really," Kim stood up, a slight smile coming to her lips. "When do you think Shego will make it back?"

"Knowing her? When we least expect it," Ron stood as well, nudging Kim with his elbow. "So stop expecting it, and she might show up sooner!"

Kim rolled her eyes, laughing as they returned to the Tower. Those obstacle courses were starting soon and, though she certainly felt better after talking to Ron, Kim could use the physical exercise to expend some pent up frustration. "I doubt it works that way, Ron... but I'll give it a try."

"That's the spirit!" Ron threw an arm around her shoulders. "Now, what's the motto?"

"Really, Ron?"

"Yeah, come on!"

Kim sighed, then laughed. _I'm lucky to have the best best friend in the world, and _any _world at that._ "Anything's possible for a Possible."

"And?" Those brown eyes held so much hope, Kim couldn't feel the fear that had been griping her mere hours before.

"And I can do anything!"

"Thata girl! Now let's go kick some butt!" Kim just chuckled, casting one last glance at Jump City before heading back inside the Tower. _Shego, wherever you are... whatever you're doing... just stay safe... because once you get back, I'm not letting you go. Period._

_~Common Room~_

"Robin, you need to trust me on this," Raven's tone was as cool as ever but her violet eyes held the edge her voice didn't betray. The Boy Wonder had both fists clenched, trying to identify if he was more angry or insulted. The young woman in front of him didn't seem to care; it was just like Raven to say what needed to be said and expect the recipient of those words to understand without having to go through a long explanation.

"I can do this, Raven."

"I don't doubt that. This has nothing to do with your capability to lead the Titans, Robin. We all have parts to play in this. Yours is to fight, train, rest, and _not_ lead. That is _my_ task," Raven tried not to sound too arrogant but, as being politely reasonable wasn't doing too much to win him over, she figured she might as well be a little more blunt. Robin wanted to instantly argue but something held him back. "Robin, I'm asking you to _trust_ me."

"_Trust you?_" Robin repeated like it was an alien language. He _did_ trust Raven! This wasn't about trust, this was about leadership! How could he just hand over control of the Teen Titans- wait, was that what it was _really_ about? Robin deflated slightly. No, it had nothing to do with his leadership. This had to do with saving the world. He was taking the horsemens' challenge as a personal attack when it wasn't. They were threatening _all_ humanity. This wasn't the time to get insulted; it was the time to train. And win. Though his voice betrayed no apologetic tone, a slightly futile effort to save face, Robin hoped she would understand. "Fine. You're in charge, Raven."

The young woman just smiled one of her rare smiles, letting the former leader walk away to nurse his slightly injured pride. Raven expected it to be a little worse, what with the argument regarding Shego earlier already setting the young man in a bad mood, but Robin always had the logic to determine what was most important to him, and the team. It just took some prodding for him to realize it, every now and again.

"That went better than I was expecting," Beastboy commented offhandedly, slipping a twenty over to Terra. The blond girl smiled, a light laugh escaping before Raven gave them both a quizzical look. "So, what's first on the agenda?"

"Honestly, probably the most tactically unsound thing imaginable," Raven reached for her belt and pulled her yellow communicator up to her lips. "Calling all Titans, this is _not_ a test..."

_~A Few Hours Later~_

"Raven, are you _sure_ this was a good idea?" Beastboy cast a slightly unsettled glance across the common room, counting at least another five people had arrived since he last attempted to count their guests. Every official Titan, plus a few Honorary Titans, were packing into the common room, along side the Towers' usual occupants. Only Drakken, Cyborg, and Rufus were absent, still working furiously on building the Titans' own battle droids. Kid Flash was also not among those assembled but that wasn't surprising. Perhaps one or two others were absent, but most of the Titans were accounted for. So many people the horsemen wanted dead, all in the same room... 'tactically unsound' obviously meant close to 'suicidal' in Raven's dictionary. "What if they attack right now? It would be..."

"Game over? Absolutely. We've gathered all the strength the Titans have into one room," Raven swept the room with her eyes, making mental notes of who could do what and how, trying to remember as much as she could from her dreams, her visions. It gave her a cold chill knowing she was positioning her 'pieces' much like the Brain had when the Brotherhood of Evil targeted them. He had called them, the Titans, Robin's 'pawns', as he was considered the 'King' by the evil mastermind. The scepter now passed to her, and the army to protect the world was before her, watching her, eagerly waiting for her orders. They knew about Pantha and Jynx, and Commando, and wanted to stop the horsemen just like Titans West. If she wasn't so absorbed in the magnitude of the situation, perhaps she would've found it a tad bit ironic that she was once the key to ending the world and now was the key to saving it. Strange things, indeed. "But it's the only way. The horsemen won't attack anyway."

"What makes you so sure?" Beastboy asked in a conversational tone. He wasn't questioning Raven's judgment or decision, just curious as to what had her so determined. The young woman felt a slight amount of warmth, and confidence flood through her at the revelation that her lover didn't doubt her. It helped offset the cold chill she got from her next words.

"I don't know." Raven looked at him, searching for the uncertainty she was trying to beat down within herself. There was none in those forest green eyes, though. Perhaps he had greater faith in her than she did in herself. "Call it a feeling."

"Works for me, Rae," the young man flashed her a toothy smile. "You gonna get the ball rolling?"

"Sure," she replied simply, marking another point in his favor. Despite all the faults, Raven only found more reasons to love her chosen partner with each passing day. She subconsciously rubbed her lower abdomen as she turned back to face the room. Then she ran into a problem she hadn't counted on before. Everyone was absorbed in conversation, catching up on who was doing what and all the crazy things that had been happening in and around Jump City, as well as across the globe. Hardly anyone would hear her if she spoke at her usual volume and she rarely, rarely raised her voice. "I don't like to yell."

Luckily, Beastboy was counting on that and the changeling already had his hands cupped around his mouth. "Hey! Eyes front and shut up!" The assembled heroes quickly complied, all eyes in the room turning to where Raven stood. Again, Beastboy flashed that toothy smile. "They're all yours, babe."

"Thanks," she gave him a nod before facing her audience, steeling herself for the speech she had prepared. It certainly wasn't something she did often, addressing a room full of people, but the situation demanded that everyone know who they faced and the circumstances surrounding that point. When she did speak, it was in the same level, cool tone the Titans always associated with the half demon, projected just enough to reach the back of the room. She didn't have to though; everyone was hanging onto every word like it would be the last they ever heard. "I thank you for your quick response. For those who went to greater lengths to bring our far flung members here quickly, I especially thank you." Her eyes lingered on Herald and the twins Mas Y Menos a moment before she continued. "There may be some new faces here, new Titans that those of us who fought the Brotherhood might not recognize. There are also faces missing, young heroes cut down in their prime. While I would like to take the time to properly grieve for those lost, and to rejoice over those new, the time is not now.

"You've been called here to face the second greatest threat to humanity in history. For those of you who never met her, Commando was a formidable adversary in her own right. The same can be said of Pantha, also a Titan, whom I know was part of the last battle where the Titans' strength was tested. Now, be it by choice or circumstance, the two have joined up with a bioweapon calling herself 'Death', taking on the mantles of 'War' and 'Pestilence' respectively. These three are devastating together and deadly apart. These are the enemies we must stand against in less than three days' time.

"The official start time of their assault is unknown. The only clue we have is that the battle for human kind will be over before the clock strikes midnight on the thirty first, before the New Year begins. Today, we will train. Tomorrow, we will go over the plans for the fight of our lives. The day after, we will rest. On that fourth day, the world might end, and we are all that stands in the way of that end. Know that we don't face enemies the likes we have come to expect. They will aim to kill. They want us dead. We can't let them get passed us. The fate of the world is at stake in a way I don't want to fathom.

"They do not tire; they do not stop. They have minions, robots, that are equally dangerous, equipped with missiles that are designed to kill their targets. The training you will undergo today will be the most vicious we have ever put forth. You will be tested in ways you have never thought to consider. Because we are not simply fighting 'bad guys' or 'villains'. What we must prepare ourselves to face is far greater a threat to everything we stand for: ourselves. Two of these three called themselves Titans, once. They have worked beside us, fought with us, bled with us, saved some of our lives. And they know it.

"To combat this, we must look at them in a disturbing light. Those Titans- Commando and Pantha- are dead, gone, killed by those who wear their faces and that is where the similarities end. These monsters have perverted their images and must be stopped, at all costs. Only then can our friends be properly laid to rest and the memories of their time as Titans remembered." Raven paused, sweeping her violet eyes over the room. "We cannot stop at just preventing them. We cannot stop at simply putting them in jail. These three must not see the new year or it will spell the doom of all we fight to protect." For a moment, she doubted the words would leave her mouth, but somehow, they did. "When the battle is over, the horsemen must be dead. Any questions?"

_~A Short While Later~_

"Uh, is anyone sure this won't kill us?" Ron looked down the lane he was meant to run, the courses laid out side-by-side to accommodate four Titans at a time. They weren't so much separate courses as imaginary lines in the sand; the courses were meant to be run simultaneously, with members of the same team able to help their friends, or get help, if need be. That _sounded_ like it would make things easier but there was good reason for the optional help. The first two groups had already gone: the first consisting of Raven, Starfire, Robin and Beastboy, to show how the courses ran, followed by Speedy, Bumblebee, Aqualad, and Killowatt. Now, it was time for Kim, Ron, Red Star and Argent. While the two Titans looked more than ready for what their lanes would throw at them, the two Middleton High School Alumni were a bit more... concerned.

"Robin put these courses together and everyone else is breezing through it. So not the drama, Ron, just relax," Kim smiled, forcing her lips to move even as she thought to herself. _How the Hell are we supposed to survive this? Come on, they can't be serious!_ Unfortunately, the Titans were dead set on everyone going through the obstacle course, whether they wanted to or not.

"Adrenna Lynn's right, mate," Argent flashed a confident smile, taking the lane to Kim's left. Out of old habit, Kim and Ron had chosen to run the lanes side-by-side, leaving their new teammates on the outside lanes. Out of new habit, they had assumed their alter egos, Ron in his Triple M suit while Kim made do with one of Robin's masks and the mission clothes she came to Jump City wearing while Cyborg continued to modify her suit. "You saw how they took it; didn't even break a sweat."

"Not to be bursting your bubble, but they did have a difficult time. At least a little," Red Star chimed in from Ron's right, having already ditched his wool cap considering the warm weather. He hadn't wanted to wear his uniform, opting for simple trousers and a tank top instead, but at Raven's request donned his signature green suit and black gloves. "This is not going to be a walk in the park."

"True, but there's the fun," Argent shot back, a smile on her lips. She reminded Kim a little of Shego, though with red rather than green. And a skirt. _Hmmm... Shego in a skirt... a short skirt... that would be-_

"Team Three, ready?" Robin called out from the operating platform, cutting the conversation, and Kim's inner mischief, short. Instantly, four minds focused on the short distance before them. The lanes themselves only went about three hundred meters but it was a very dangerous three hundred meters. "Team Three, Go!"

Instantaneously, the four launched themselves forward, ready for anything. Team Two's run already proved there was no set timing to the various traps and obstacles in the course; they could activate at any time and there was no way to predict what they were or when they'd trigger. They had to rely on their instincts and reactions alone. Before they could even take their second step (simply flying through the course was against the rules), their first test popped up in the form of turrets firing spinning saw disks, the first set having already claimed a few nearby trees. While her teammates seemed to falter, if for a split second, Kim only grinned. _Ha, piece of cake! _

With the grace she'd possessed since Junior High, Kim somersaulted over the first round of disks and instantly hit the dirt with the splits, dodging a stray disk from Ron's lane. Sweeping her back leg forward and rocking her body, Kim righted herself just as everyone else finished their dodges, bringing the four roughly in line. Out of the corner of her eye, Kim saw that Ron looked unscathed, bearing no injury she could see and only a grim sort of determination in his eyes, a sure sign he was in the zone. Kim could feel it too; the focus of a mission, the thrill of dodging one of Drakken's elaborate trap set-ups. She could also feel the new sort of rush that came with fighting in Jump City, in the Titans' world. As they mixed, the young woman could feel herself coming alive with new energy, with purpose.

As the first turrets disappeared back to whence they came, the ground beneath them started to shift, causing all four teens to leap to and from shifting panels. Kim was light and quick, barely touching down on one platform before sailing through the air to the next one. Argent, clearly used to flying, started to lag behind and nearly missed the last platform. Though she only noticed from the corner of her eye, Kim was able to hit her final platform in time enough to jump into Argent's lane temporarily and grab the other girl's hand, pulling her to safety.

"Well, that was a bit too close for comfort," the British girl growled, throwing a quick glare over her shoulder at the lane. "Thanks, Lynn."

"No big, Argent! Let's go!" Kim was already jumping back into her lane, sprinting to catch up with Ron and Red Star, both having already triggered their respective obstacles. Ron had electrical tentacles lashing out at him while Red Star had to contend with some refitted attack droids, courtesy of Slade's abandoned army. When Kim and Argent caught up, they were surprised with a volley of laser fire and hand-to-hand combat robots, like the ones Robin used for his personal training, respectively. _This_ was it. It was the most alive Kim had felt since Shego left. Somehow, the very thought of the emerald woman who'd spirited away with her heart invigorated the redhead even more. All in all, a decided improvement in her mood. She could practically feel the confidence flowing through her. _The horsemen have nothing on us! _

Kim tried getting closer to the source of the laser blasts but couldn't. A few back flips, one forward roll, and a very, very close call were her only rewards_. Well, this isn't working! _Jumping to her right, the redhead noticed her entire team, well with the exception of Red Star, was having trouble too. _Well, if you can't beat 'em... _"Argent! Switch!"

"Gladly mate!" Argent called out as she ducked a few swipes from the robots to run to Kim's lane. Ron and Red Star took the cue and switched as well, leaving Kim and Ron with the hand-to-hand combat and Red Star and Argent with the ranged fighting. In a flash, Ron had hurled one attack droid into the other two, Red Star had used his bolts to disable half the tentacles, Argent was rebounding the lasers back at their launchers, and Kim was beating the robots so badly (by causing them to attack themselves) they were beginning to malfunction. As this was the first time most of the Titans had seen Kim and Ron in action, they couldn't help but be a little impressed.

"Girl's got moves," Herald, arms crossed, admitted as Kim jumped from one robot to the other, even doing a handstand on the last one to make it attack itself. Jericho, the silent blonde standing next to him, simply nodded in agreement. Beside them, a young woman with pink hair had her eyes on the far lane.

"That Triple M guy isn't so bad either," Kole commented dreamily as Ron delivered an expertly placed kick that beat the last standing droid's head in, dreamily enough that her best friend, Gnarrk, the prehistoric caveman of few words, felt inclined to comment.

"Gnarrk?"

"No, silly, I'm just saying he's a pretty good fighter."

"Gnarrk." The caveman conceded, turning his attention back to the course as the four returned to their original lanes and hit the final obstacle. This was the only obstacle that stayed the same, no matter what. Depending on who the respective Titan knew better, a hologram of either Pantha or Commando appeared and lunged at them. For Red Star and Argent, Pantha's form appeared, accompanied by a sound clip of her war cry. For Ron and Kim, it was Commando. _She's not Commando!_ Kim told herself as the hologram cocked back her fist and jumped towards her. _This is War!_ Letting loose a battle cry of her own, Kim rolled in the space between them and jumped up with all her power, landing what would have been one Hell of an uppercut to the hologram. As it faded away, the redhead realized she'd completed the obstacle course, along with the rest of her team, within a respectable time: only two seconds slower than Team One and a second faster than Team Two.

"Team Three, complete. Good job, guys," Robin announced with a slight smile. Instantly, he started configuring the course for the next team while Team Three celebrated.

"Man, this is one Hell of a work out," Beastboy massaged a sore spot in his neck. As he saw which obstacles the next Team would face, he couldn't help but laugh. "Bet no gym in the universe can match the Titan Fitness Program!"

Standing beside the changling, Raven just shook her head and smiled. "I've said it already, but I'll say it again: our budget is ridiculous."

_~And After That~_

"Are you SERIOUS!" Ron screamed as he back flipped over an errant lightning bolt, simultaneously dodging a slash from Bushido's sword. The young man didn't even _know_ there were this many Titans in the world. Now, in the middle of a four-on-four battle, while two other fights raged around them, the Mystical Monkey Master was pushing himself past limits he didn't even know existed. Sure, Robin, Terra, and Speedy were helping as best they could, but they had their own opponents to deal with, and the opposing team, consisting of Bushido, Argent, Killowatt and Beast Boy, were strong fighters in their own right.

How he got stuck with a samurai, with no weapon of his own, was beyond the young man, but so far Ron had made do with simply dodging the attacks and counter attacking with strikes to the hands and gut, even once got in a decent blow to the other Titan's right leg that slightly hobbled the swordsman. Terra and Argent were flying high above, throwing rocks and energy bolts, while dodging similar projectiles from Starfire and Bumblebee, Lightning and Red Star, and whatever else got deflected skyward in the battles below. Ron had been skeptical of the idea of large, melee style team combat training at first; now, he realized he should definitely have spoken up about just how dangerous the entire fiasco was. At least there was one bright side: he had a regular human for an opponent. He didn't dare sneak a glance to see how Kim was faring.

_Note to self: lay off the Twinkies!_ Kim mentally reprimanded herself, dodging another blast of dark energy as Raven circled to the redhead's right. She knew she was moving slower than before, and part of that was fatigue and anxiety as her new found energy slowly dwindled to non-existent levels. However, as neither would be going away anytime soon, and she was getting rather sick of all the anxiety, she had to get used to the idea of feeling like shit and still turning out her top performance. Rolling as she hit the ground, the former cheerleader righted herself in time to throw a bird-a-rang that just happened to be lying around at the slightly stunned empath. Raven dodged, but just by a hair, gritting her teeth as she floated a bit higher to put distance between herself and Kim.

As Cyborg was still working on repairing the supersuit, Kim was fighting Raven without flight capability and, thus, at a severe disadvantage._ Can't rely on that stupid suit anyway. If War hits the power cell again, I'll be fighting just like this! Better to train without._ A well timed jump allowed Kim to clear another wave of black energy and use Starfire, who was diving down to avoid one of Bumblebee's blasts, as a launching point to get to Raven. Her opponent barely moved out of the way in time to avoid a solid punch to the face, the knuckle of Kim's pinky barely grazing Raven's cheek as the redhead went flying past her. Kim felt a small wave of panic as she started to fall back to the ground but was saved when Starfire appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her hand.

"Friend Lynn! Are you having trouble as I am?" the sweet Tamaranean yelled over the din of shouts, explosions, and an elephant's trumpet. Kim nodded, trying to keep her senses right from the vertigo as Starfire started dodging both Bumblebee's and Raven's attacks. None of the four were on the same team though, so they weren't technically allies. "Then perhaps we have the wrong opponents!"

_Enemy of my enemy, I suppose. _"Good thinking!" Kim smiled, pulling her knees to her chest and preparing to push off from the alien. At the moment, she was facing Raven, who was retreating slightly while Bumblebee pressed from the other side. At the last moment, Starfire spun, sending Kim flying towards Bumblebee while Starfire sent a starbolt at Raven, catching both opponents off guard. Without time to dodge, Bumblebee was thrown to the ground under Kim's weight and Starfire's strength while Raven had to deflect the starbolt and take on Starfire head-to-head.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the skirmish, the scientists were having their own problems. Having spent most of their time in the lab, Cyborg and Drakken were having a tougher time keeping up with Hotspot and Aqualad. The two kept combining their powers- fire and water- to keep the four shrouded in mist, easily confusing Drakken.

"I can't see anything!" the blue skinned scientist yelled in frustration. "Really, I'm not useful in a regular fight, how the He- uf!"

From seemingly nowhere Gnarrk came crashing into the former megalomaniac. They rolled on the ground a moment before noticing they were on the same team. Gnarrk was quicker to come to this conclusion though, jumping away from Drakken as the scientist slapped the air blindly.

"Gnarrk?" the caveman queried, a brow raised as Drakken recovered himself.

"Yes, I'm quite alright. Thank you," Drakken bowed his head a little, then paused. "Wait, that is what you asked me, right?"

"Gnarrk!" was the only response he received before the mist lightened enough for both of them to see. At that moment, however, Drakken would have far preferred the mist. While Cyborg had Hotspot in a headlock, Aqualad was charging the metal teen from behind, meanwhile Kole, the pink haired young woman who functioned as Gnarrk's partner, was running at Cyborg from the other side. Seeing his friend charging towards Cyborg, Gnarrk broke into a sprint, following the same path as Kole. As Aqualad interlaced his fingers and jumped to deliver a fierce blow to the back of the metal teen's head, Kole shouted a warning, causing Cyborg to roll away, releasing Hotspot in the process and allowing the two teammates to collide into each other. Before either could regain his feet, Kole jumped up and activated her crystal form, falling back into Gnarrk's awaiting hand to be wielded like your average club. Both Hotspot and Aqualad gave a yelp of terror as they rolled away to avoid to blow, causing Dr. Drakken to chuckle sympathetically.

"At least I'm not the only one having problems," Drakken smiled, then turned, looking for a more suitable opponent, when a robot looking all too much like Cyborg, except with red circuitry, appeared in front of him. At first, the scientist visibly paled, then, remembering who controlled the exosuit, scowled at the mostly machine. "I liked you better as a pesky rat thing!"

Rufus made a mental note of that before grabbing the front of Drakken's uniform, via his exosuit, and threw him into the air, at Red Star. Fearful of dropping back down, the blue skinned man latched onto the Russian with a vice grip. Despite the added weight, Red Star managed to dodge another of Lightning's bolts, sending back a quick blast of his own energy to discourage another attack. At least until he'd dumped the extra weight. "This is not helping!"

"DON'T DROP ME!" Drakken let out a girlish scream, and a subsequent yelp of terror as another bolt of lightning passed all too close to his head. Twisting his head around to catch sight of the rebellious young man charging another attack with Beastboy, in his T-Rex form, just behind the supernaturally powered Titan. Thinking fast, Drakken pulled out a small recording device and played a high pitched frequency, pointing it directly at Beastboy, who turned and snapped his jaws at the sound, effectively trapping Lightning in his jaws, rather unintentionally. "Hey, it worked!"

"Good thinking, my friend," Red Star smiled, drifting down to deposit Drakken on the ground as Lightning, unaware of how he was entombed, let his bolt discharge inside the dinosaur's mouth, instantly causing the jaws to open as Beastboy roared in pain and started returning to his Human form. Oddly enough, as the transition was happening, a young man with blonde hair popped out of the changeling's body. Both Jericho and Beastboy hit the ground with solid thuds, the green skinned teen looking significantly more dazed than the quiet blonde. "Seems we are fighting more than just _our_ opponents."

"If I survive this, I'm never leaving my lab again," Drakken muttered, running away as Red Star threw a few more energy blasts at Lightning before taking to the air again.

"Hey, Beastboy, you okay?" Ron shouted as he expertly tossed Bushido over his shoulder and into Herald and Killowatt, who'd taken to using each other to watch their backs. The changeling had his tongue lolling out, fanning the burned skin wildly, as if it would help.

"Yea, I 'ink," Beastboy didn't dare closing his mouth just yet and had, quite effectively, dropped out of the fight. Forest green eyes flicked up to meet concerned brown ones. "Yew won' hur ee, wi' yew?"

"Nah, man, we're on the same side," Ron smiled, lashing his foot out to trip Killowatt as the Titan tried to attack, sending the young man sprawling. "We have bigger issues than this training exercise."

From twenty yards away, Raven smiled, even as she dodged another vicious right hook from Kim, who was starting to really release her frustration, putting more force behind each blow. After a minute or so, Starfire and Kim had returned to their original opponents, leaving Bumblebee and Raven still reeling from the first unexpected switch. Risking a glance around, Raven confirmed her hopes. Though the Titans were beginning to tire, they were still fighting. It was a good sign, she thought, that they were still fighting almost two hours later. In fact...

Just before Kim launched another vicious front kick, attempting to take advantage of Raven's moment of distraction, a low tone rang out over the field, halting all combat as the Titans relaxed. Finally, the training session was over. _Thank God!_ Kim tried not to let her relief show too much, offering Raven a friendly handshake instead. _I really hope no one back in Middleton gets superpowers._

"Aha! Boo-yah!" Ron high fived the Cyborg look-a-like he knew housed his little friend. "Rufus! How'd ya do?"

"Performed like a champ!" Cyborg chimed, a few new dents in his armor but otherwise looking better than most after the melee. The rest of the Titans began chattering animatedly, congratulating their opponents, praising their own prowess, joking about miscues. It was certainly a lot more intense than the obstacle courses and everyone was ready for some well deserved rest as the sun began to set on the bay.

"Mission accomplished, Raven?" Kim turned back before following the others into the Tower, watching Raven as she stared off into the distance. Kim frowned. _Wonder what's on her mind. _"Raven?"

"Do you think they'll get the message?" Raven turned her violet eyes back to meet bright green orbs. For a moment, Kim wasn't sure who she meant, but then she realized the only people she could've been addressing with a display like that.

"That depends, what message were you planning on sending the horsemen?" _Raven, what are you thinking?_

"Oh, just who we are, and how many of us there are. Give them the details they need to craft the _perfect_ plan," Raven casually walked towards the Tower, Kim falling in step with the gray skinned young woman as she passed. "I think we showed them everything we could."

_Clever. _Kim smiled, resisting the urge to laugh out loud. "So now, all that's left is to completely change it."

"Exactly."

_~Den of the Horsemen~_

"That was impressive." War commented as the last of the Titans returned to their precious Tower. It took a moment for Pestilence to determine if the comment was made out of sincere admiration or arrogant sarcasm.

"You believe they will not succeed." Pestilence turned her gaze to regard the elder horseman. "My records indicate you were the one to preach about not being overly confident; they are Humans, capable of several anomalies."

"While this is true, it is safe to say we have laid the foundation for a strong and decisive blow. For the majority of the Titans, this will be their second large scale battle. Only a hand few have faced the numbers we will supply. Our communications are better, our skills are better, our preparations are better, and we have the decided advantage of knowing when the strike will take place. This gives us the element of surprise. The Titans will be unable to overcome our advantages." War changed the screen to display the latest news streaming on the local channels. "Just because the world is going to end does not mean it stops turning. As we speak, several of the Titans' usual adversaries are free, ready to wreak havoc at a whim. Perhaps they will serve as a distraction for our invasion, though we shall hardly need the diversion."

"I see." Pestilence scanned the feeds, instantly absorbing all the information she cared to know and turned her attention back to War. "I have a query regarding your locked files, War."

"Is that so." Only their shared link in the Collective allowed Pestilence to know War was questioning her to continue. War had been working on their programming all day and, by this point, War and Death completely lacked any inflection, even those curious Human ticks had been eliminated. They were horsemen now and nothing more.

"It was not until Death came for me that I stopped being Pantha and became Pestilence. I had no choice in the matter. Not that I'm complaining; this is a far better fate than being dead. However, you were War first, then became Commando, then became War again. What prompted your departure and return to the horsemen." Pestilence noticed her own voice lacking inflection. War had been deleting several of the programs that had allowed her to retain her humanity as of late. Though she knew complaining about it would do her no good, she was starting to miss some of her Human qualities, if only a little. That was unusual though; she probably still had some bugs in her programing.

"Simple; I thought Humans could learn." War gestured to the screen again. Or perhaps she just made the consideration to raise her arm to the screen and Pestilence registered the motion. Probably yet another bug in her software; an easy fix. "I destroyed our original creators to prove that no Human can control the powers we possess. I joined the Titans to prove even the most destructive of creatures can find purpose, and not in a negative light. I left-." War suddenly cut off, quickly scanning through her own files. Ah, that's right. There _was_ a reason why she left. "I left to stop Death from the inside. I sought to prove that even something made purely for destruction could do something for the benefit of Humankind, a selfless act, even if it destroyed myself in the process."

"And then."

"And then I came to the logical conclusion that Humankind does not deserve that benefit. Bereft of the compassion I was programmed with, I came to realize that Humans have truly overstayed their welcome in this existence. Genocide is the only answer." Pestilence nodded. "We are the cure to the Human condition, Pestilence. However, Death does not understand these concepts. Death can only understand our programmed mission. The expanded concepts would prompt investigation."

"The files are locked so Death has one less thing to drone on about. Query answered. And also stored in a locked file." Pestilence expected at least a smile. Instead, nothing.

"Do what you will. I have ensured not you, Famine, or even Death can attempt to injure me. What you choose to lock away is of no importance to me."

Pestilence blinked. "Understood."

_~Morning of the Twenty Ninth, __Common Room~_

Just like the day before, Raven's eyes swept the room, taking in the eager faces of the Titans assembled, mentally preparing herself. Today was the planning day, the day where she tried to explain some very strange concepts to her fellow Titans. Everything, her whole plan, was based on... a vision and her father's cryptic advice... not for the first time, Raven felt a shiver crawl down her spine as she wondered if it could all possibly be an elaborate trap. However, Beastboy's hand in hers quickly brought her back to the present, dispelling her doubts, at least for a time.

"Sorry," she murmured before clearing her throat and lifting her chin, determined not to let her doubts show. "I trust everyone is well rested?"

The room erupted with an indistinct jumble of affirmative responses, and a few harmless jokes. She couldn't help but smile at the high spirits. Leave it to a bunch of teenagers to take the Apocalypse as a laughable event.

"Good. We're one step closer to the fight of our lives. Now here's where it gets a little... tricky," Raven waved her hand, dimming the lights in the room so the hologram projector, operated by Rufus, could be seen. As Raven spoke the names, the image changed to show the rest of the Titans what she was talking about. "First, you should meet our opponents.

"This is Death, eldest of the horsemen in terms of conception and design. Her weapon of choice is a scythe that uses a sort of beam energy to become a deadly weapon. It can slice through flesh easily and even passing too close to it can leave severe burns. There's a sort of magnetic field that allows her to fly and maneuver at high speeds. Destroy her scythe and she becomes slower but be _very_ careful. The metal that is bonded to their organic matter is extremely resistant, so normal attack will do little, if any, damage.

"Next is War, formerly Commando. She's faster and stronger than Death, a brilliant strategist and can react far quicker than her 'sister'. The knife she wears strapped to her breastplate is actually a sword that utilizes the same sort of beam energy as Death's scythe. We've also seen footage of a shield of the same energy but have yet to see her use it. War also commands the ability to change her organic structure almost instantly, changing height, weight, and other attributes. Be careful if she gets too close; whereas Death refuses to relinquish her scythe, War will go hand-to-hand at any time. Trust me, not the one you want to take a punch from.

"Pestilence, formerly Pantha, is the third horsemen. Bulkier than the other horsemen, she is just as fast as Death and displays at least the capability to utilize some sort of poison. From the designs we did see, it's safe to assume at least a few projectile inhalants are housed in her gauntlets. She's the only horsemen we have only seen, however, as what we saw was merely an elaborate hologram. Right now, she's our second greatest threat, simply because we won't know exactly what she's capable of." Raven took a breath as a schematic appeared overhead, one she'd studied for several hours without success.

"Finally, we have Famine, the fourth horseman. Officially, she doesn't exist yet. However, to think that the horsemen will begin their mission to eradicate the Human race without Famine is hoping for too much. Unfortunately, the designs we managed to collect didn't have a weapons system installed yet, so Famine's abilities, if it even exists, are unknown." A murmur of confusion went around the room, some clever suggestions of what powers the horseman would possess, whether or not it existed, and the like. Raven waited a moment before she continued. "Our last opponent, which there will be plenty of, are the robots the horsemen have created. The first time they appeared, they had only minimal hand-to-hand capabilities. The last time, they had deadly rockets and could fly. It's a safe assumption to guess their next incarnation will have something more deadly added and probably a bit faster. This means that those of us who can fly should try our hardest to keep their aim up and away from the grounded fighters." Suddenly, two little hands raised into the air. Raven hadn't anticipated answering questions so soon but nodded for the two young men to speak. "Yes?"

"No lo entiendo. Si cada uno de nosotros es necesario para esta lucha..."

"¿Por qué dejamos fuera del entrenamiento de ayer?" Más y Menos questioned innocently. Unfortunately, with Pantha and Shego absent, no one stepped up to translate. Before Cyborg could pull up a translating program, Ron cleared his throat.

"Uh, pretty sure they asked why they weren't part of the training yesterday if everyone is needed for the big fight." Terra, seated next to him, leaned over and whispered, trying not to detract from the meeting too much.

"You speak Spanish?"

"It comes and goes," Ron gave her a small smile while raising a brow. "You like that, huh?"

"Well, yeah, it's kinda cool," Terra tried to pretend she was paying attention to Raven as her cheeks became tinted pink.

"Got it, Spanish is a turn on. I'll work on it."

Raven took note of the deepening red shade of Terra's face but ignored it for now. That goofy grin of Ron's told her that it probably was none of her business anyway. Besides, the twin's question would require her full attention once the Titans heard her answer. "When the battle commences, Rufus will be piloting the Titanoids, our own versions of the attack droids the horsemen have. His participation yesterday was to test his control of the system and work out any final bugs."

"Whoa, that's a smart... whatever the Hell he is," Speedy scratched his chin, regarding the naked mole rat still operating the hologram projector.

"Naked mole rat," Kim, Ron, Terra and Beastboy said, in unison, the first two out of habit, second two to correct their fellow Titan.

"Okay, naked mole rat, got it," Speedy held up his hands in defense.

"Right," Raven waited until everyone returned their focus to her before continuing. "Well, with Rufus taking that spot, and considering the horsemen watched the entire training session, it's in our best interest to keep at least a few secrets to ourselves." The shocked look that spread over all but five faces (Kim, Drakken, Cyborg, Beastboy, and Rufus) was the reaction Raven had been anticipating. And, partially, trying to avoid. "Make no mistake; the horsemen watched and analyzed every move each of us used yesterday. They'll use it to craft the perfect plan to destroy us. However," Raven nodded and Rufus changed from displaying schematics to showing footage from the first time the Titans squared off against Death. "Something we have come to expect from the horsemen is this: they lack the ability to fully comprehend our thought process. We're able to surprise them simply by doing things that don't make sense or are deviant from our usual behavior. Death had time to watch us, study us, and she used that time. However, when she _did_ attack, we had four new fighters, four of us were someone else's body, and, through pure luck, we were able to keep her from taking Beastboy to be the horseman Famine. Simple circumstances that we weren't expecting completely altered her plan of attack and she wasn't able to compensate. War is faster at that sort of compensation, however, so having you two as our little secrets, with your super speed, might be able to buy us just the right amount of time, when we need it most."

"Okay, if that's true, why train at all? Why not leave them in the dark completely?" Aqualad shook his head, his arms crossed. "Doesn't make sense to keep cards up our sleeves if we don't have to show our hand in the first place."

"True, but who is more prepared to bet: the man who doesn't know your hand or the man who's sure you only have a pair of sixes?" Raven waved around the room. "If you haven't noticed, we have a royal flush. And really, it's just icing on the cake. What we'll really use to throw them off, from the very beginning, no one on the planet, least of all the horsemen, will expect." Surprise registered on every face in the room, including Beastboy. This was the part she'd kept to herself all along and Raven couldn't help but smile a little. What she had planned, no one would be able to guess, at least she hoped so, since that's what made it the perfect option, however insane. And it _was_ quite insane. But, Raven was certain, it would be _well_ worth it. She'd already put half the plan into action early that morning. The other half would go into action the thirty-first. "When the horsemen decide to launch their attack, we'll give them a nice little surprise..."

Twenty minutes later, Raven felt a small tendril of fear worm its way into the back of her mind. She'd finished her explanation about five minutes ago but none, not a soul, had dared speak yet. They were still in shock. Yes, she expected that reaction, but still, _someone_ should at least _try_ to speak. Much to Raven's surprise, Terra raised her hand. "Yes?"

"So... does this mean we can't order pizza for dinner?" Raven blinked, slightly taken aback by the question.

"Uh, right, that means we can't order pizza," violet eyes scanned the room, noticing the mood broken by a chorus of groans. "Anyone else?" Ron raised his hand.

"So, what _is_ for dinner?" Raven sighed. "What? There _is_ no way to- just- it's-"

"I agree with Ron," Drakken chimed in, ignoring Ron's shout of victory at the former villain _finally_ remembering his name. "If _I_ were on the recieving end of this I'd... well... I don't know _what_ I'd do. If the entire purpose is to destroy the Titans... and they... just... well... I just don't know." Drakken ran a hand through his hair. "Teenagers scare the shit out of me."

"Definitely rates an eleven on the 'what the hell are you thinking' scale, Raven," Bumblebee chimed in, a smug smirk on her lips. "I don't think it would work for anyone else, but for these guys? Absolutely."

"So, we're all in on this?" Robin looked around, feeling far more nervous than any other Titan present. When everyone else nodded, the former Titan leader sighed and nodded. Though she wasn't expecting his permission, that Robin agreed to go along with what she had planned helped immensely.

"Good," Raven smiled, noticing how the mood had changed from tense expectation to anxious excitement. "When the horsemen attack Jump City, the Titans _won't_ respond."

_Continued in Chapter 11: The Fourth Horseman (or Take Your Time)_

Author's note: Well, that was fun. I had more planned for this chap originally, but I think it will flow better with Chapter 11, so that's that. The big battle is coming up next chapter, _finally, _and actually contains the scene that provided inspiration for this entire fic, oddly enough. Got two chapters left and then this will be all wrapped up. Circumstances being what they are, I might have Ch 11 up within the next month, it depends on how I do on a test I have coming up on the 6th. So wish me luck? (Trust me, I need it! lol) Thanks for your continued patience. :)


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